Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXI, Near East Region; Arabian Peninsula

65. Circular Airgram From the Department of State to Certain Posts¹

CA-4185

Washington, October 15, 1965, 10:19 a.m.

SUBJECT

• Aden Debate in UNGA

REF

• Depcirtel 509, Sept. 28, 1965²

A particularly strong Arab campaign against the British on Aden now appears to be in the offing in the current UNGA. The UK’s suspension of the Aden constitution on September 25 (Department circular telegram 509) has been followed by demonstrations and strikes in Aden. On October 5 Arab representatives at the UN sent a letter to the Security Council protesting the British action. The Adeni oppositionists, meeting in Cairo, have formed a joint delegation (including two representatives each from the former Aden Government, the Organization for the Liberation of the Occupied South, and the National Liberation Front) to the UNGA to press their attack on British policy in South Arabia.

The Aden question is scheduled for debate by the GA’s Fourth Committee from October 14 to 25. The Arabs and the “anti-colonialist” bloc are expected to base their attack on the British on two previous UN resolutions: General Assembly resolution 1949 (XVIII) of December 11, 1963³ and a Committee of 24 resolution of May 17, 1965.⁴ General Assembly resolution 1949 calls inter alia for self determination through universal suffrage, the “early removal” of the British military base, the freeing of political detainees and an end to “repressive actions”, the formation of a provisional government, and the establishment of a UN presence in Aden. The Committee of 24 resolution reiterates these points, though in somewhat stronger language. It is anticipated that Arab UN representatives will introduce in the October 14-25 Fourth Committee debate a resolution similar to that voted by the Committee of 24, with added passages condemning the UK’s recent suspension of the Aden constitution and requesting immediate liquidation of the base.

Background

In January 1963 the Crown Colony of Aden became the State of Aden and joined with a number of the Shaikhdoms and Sultanates of the former East and West Aden Protectorates to form the South Arabian Federation (SAF). A conflict immediately emerged between the Protectorate leaders and the Adenis. The latter, more advanced and better educated than the inhabitants of the Protectorates, feared that they would have little weight in a federation of states which were essentially tribal monarchies. The Adeni politicians demanded a unitary state, believing that this type of arrangement would give them a much better chance of dominating and directing the new entity. After the Labor victory in 1964, the UK agreed to consider a unitary state concept and SAF leaders also announced their willingness to support a unitary state. However, disagreement persisted between the British, the Adeni politicians and the leaders of the former Protectorate states regarding the timetable for independence and the definition of the new state.

During the 1964 London Conference on Aden the British Government announced its intention of granting independence to Aden and the SAF not later than 1968. British efforts to follow up this announcement by the holding of a constitutional conference to create a framework for an independent state have been blocked largely by nationalist elements supported by the UAR who insisted on immediate implementation of the 1963 UN resolution. With funds and arms supplied by the UAR from its base in Yemen, the nationalists instituted an increasingly active terrorist campaign. This UAR support increased markedly following British retaliatory bombing of the Yemeni town of Harib in the spring of 1964, and the UN’s subsequent “deploring” of the UK’s action. Deterioration of the security situation and refusal of the Aden State Ministers to condemn terrorism and cooperate in the maintenance of law and order led the UK to suspend operation of the Aden constitution on September 25, 1965.

The Base

The UK insists that the future of its strategic base in Aden be determined by negotiation with whatever government emerges following independence. While most of the inhabitants of Aden State benefit either directly or indirectly from the base, there is strong nationalist sentiment against it, encouraged by the UAR. The UK apparently anticipates that the leaders of an independent government, faced with the full weight of their responsibilities and cognizant of the economic impact of a sudden British military withdrawal, would be more inclined to agree to the maintenance of the base for at least a limited period.

British Position in UN

The British position regarding the 1963 UNGA resolution is outlined in the attached Foreign Office guidance paper, recently given the Department by the British Embassy.⁵ As indicated therein the British declare their general agreement with the resolution except for 1) evacuation of the base, which they insist is a matter for discussion with the future independent South Arabian Government; and 2) the lifting of security measures, which cannot be done in the face of terrorist attacks without plunging the area into further chaos. British reservations regarding a popular vote and the formation of a provisional government under present conditions are also set forth.

British officials admit that, for the present at least, they have no specific plans for solving the Aden crisis beyond the hope that suspension of the constitution will enable them to restore order and regain control of the situation in South Arabia. The Foreign Office is understood to be considering inviting the UN to send some type of representation to Aden to study the situation.

US Position

Any precipitate British withdrawal from the Aden area at this time would result in a chaotic situation in South Arabia harmful to general Western interests. Recognizing that the growth of nationalist pressures requires the granting of independence in the next few years, the British have been exerting efforts to establish the framework of a potentially viable government and to promote an orderly evolution to independence. Although we do not necessarily endorse all the moves which the British have taken, we support their goal of an orderly evolution to independence in South Arabia and believe that the ending of terrorism is a necessary step in this process. As in the past, we expect to continue to express this support in the United Nations.

Our position in the forthcoming Fourth Committee debate on Aden will be along the following lines.

1. We favor the principle of self determination for the people of South Arabia and believe that the UK is endeavoring to work out acceptable constitutional arrangements toward that end. In this regard we note that despite its suspension of the Aden constitution the UK has reaffirmed its intention of abiding by its earlier promise to grant independence no later than 1968.

2. The ending of terrorism is a necessary step in an orderly evolution toward independence.

3. We opposed the May 17 resolution of the Committee of 24 on grounds that the resolution failed to take account of the progress toward independence already made in Aden and British proposals for further action in this direction. We will continue to oppose similar resolutions if presented to the Fourth Committee. (Our final decision can of course be made only after examination of the resolutions put forward in the Committee.)

4. We will be prepared to support the above points in a statement to the Committee.

Posts may draw on the foregoing as appropriate in discussion of the Aden question with host Government representatives and diplomatic colleagues.⁶

Rusk

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964-66, POL 19 ADEN. Confidential. Drafted by David A. Korn (NEA/NE) on October 14; cleared by Campbell, Grant V. McClanahan (AF/AFN), Officer in Charge of Dependent Area Affairs Patricia Byrne, and Director of the Office of UN Political Affairs Elizabeth Ann Brown; and approved by Symmes. Sent to Aleppo, Amman, Asmara, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Dhahran, Damascus, Jidda, Kuwait, Taiz, Algiers, Rabat, Tripoli, Tunis, Addis Ababa, Mogadiscio, Nouakchott, Paris, Basra, Tel Aviv, and Khartoum and repeated to USUN, Aden, and London.
2. Document 64.
3. For text, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1963, pp. 593-594.
4. The Committee of 24 (Special Committee on the Situation with Regard to Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries) adopted the resolution by a vote of 19 to 3 (including the United States) with 2 abstentions.
5. Attached but not printed.
6. On November 3, by a vote of 83 to 11 (including the United States) with 8 abstentions, the Fourth Committee adopted a resolution deploring the attempts of the administering power to set up an unrepresentative regime in the territory, calling on all states not to recognize any independence not based on the wishes of the people of the territory freely expressed through elections held under universal adult suffrage, and calling the complete and immediate removal of the British base at Aden essential. Resolution 2023 (XX) Was adopted by the UN General Assembly on November 5 by a vote of 90 to 11 (including the United States) with 10 abstentions. The text is printed in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1965, pp. 615-616.