51. Telegram 100366 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Libya1
100366. For Chargé from Atherton. Subject: Qadhafi’s Comments on US-Libyan Relations. Ref: A. Tripoli 546 B. Tripoli 548.
1. Congratulations on your report of talks with Qadhafi and your comments thereon. It provides rare and valuable insights into Qadhafi’s view of US-Libyan relations and was handsome return on your investment in arduous desert excursion.
2. Concur in your suggestion para 4 ref A that we seize occasion to remind LARG through MFA of current barriers to our acceptance of Libyan Ambassador. You may make following points, some of them [Page 133] reiterating what I said to Libyan Chargé El-Gayed in Washington in conversation of July 24, 1975.
(A) US welcomes continued active and mutually beneficial relations in cultural and economic field.
(B) We fully reciprocate LARG desire for better official relations.
(C) US does not ask other countries to agree with all our policies as condition of good relations. We have important ties with many countries although we may disagree with them on policy.
(D) Better relations require common framework for dialogue. Problem is not that Libya disagrees with US policy but that it actively opposes and seeks to undermine our efforts towards a peaceful settlement in the Middle East and criticizes other countries in the region who are cooperating with US.
(E) LARG has nominated Ambassador to Washington. In US system, however, public policy must be acceptable to American public opinion and to Congress. We regret the tone and character of recent attacks on the US by Libyan leaders and the public media. For example, the derogatory statement about our President in the LARG’s cable to 72 heads of state of countries which voted for the UN Zionism Resolution; the offensive remarks by head of Libyan delegation to the FAO meeting in Rome in November 1975; the Al Jihad article of March 5; and, public speeches by Libyan leaders such as those of March 12 and April 4, such incidents spoil the atmosphere and erode public acceptance, in both Libya and US, of improved bilateral relations.
(F) We reiterate that the USG attitude toward relations with Libya will depend upon LARG’s actions: for example, whether it continues to undermine the search for a peaceful settlement in the Middle East and to give support and refuge to terrorists. In absence of conducive atmosphere we cannot take certain measures. Should we see significant signs that barriers to better relations are being removed, perhaps, we can advance on this and other LARG proposals.
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Summary: The Department praised Carle’s report on Qadhafi’s view of U.S.-Libyan relations, and offered guidance for future discussions.
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Operations Staff for the Middle East and South Asian Affairs, Box 18, Country File, Libya (2). Secret; Exdis. In telegram 546 from Tripoli, April 20, Carle gave a detailed report on his meeting with Qadhafi. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files) Telegram 548 from Tripoli, April 21, was an addendum to Tripoli 546. (Ibid.)
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