116. Memorandum From the Ambassador at Large (Harriman) to Acting Secretary of State Ball 1
I have seen a certain amount of traffic about the advisability and inadvisability of the possible meeting of the President with the King of Morocco. I want to underline my personal reaction that it would be important to arrange such a meeting, if at all possible, either most informally in Rome (where the King would coincidentally be on a health check-up) or during a “refueling stop” in Morocco on the way home.
Foreign Minister Benhima made it plain to me that the King was considering very seriously the future posture of his country. He was becoming more and more disillusioned with so-called African nonalignment as practiced by the radical group, Ben Bella, Nkrumah et al and wanted to disassociate himself with that group; but before taking a definite position, he was anxious to talk to the President to see whether the President understood his position and whether he could feel confidence in United States continued friendship and support.
I do not believe it is the King’s intention to ask for any specific military or economic assistance as some suggest. In any event, we could see to it in advance that no such request was made.
I believe that it would be worthwhile for the President to have a brief talk with the King, as the meeting might well affect the future position of his country with its influence in Africa and the Arab world. He places an unusual reliance on personal contact.
If the meeting becomes impractical, I think it would be a good idea for me to stop by to see him with an appropriate message from the President.
- Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Harriman Papers, Kennedy-Johnson Administrations, Subject Files, Ball, George W. Secret. Drafted by Komer and Assistant Secretary Williams.↩
- Printed from a copy with Harriman’s initials in an unidentified hand, indicating Harriman signed the original.↩