Office of the Historian

65. Letter From the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs (Jordan) to the Director of the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, Department of State (Weiss)1

Washington, April 13, 1974.
Dear Sey:

(S) As a result of the re-assessment of the Africa Bureau and our Ambassador to Morocco that our planned withdrawal from Kenitra by the end of 1976 would have serious implications for our relations with King Hassan, coupled with the uncertainty of next year’s base rights negotiations with Spain, Secretary Schlesinger has approved the following position:

—Plans for our withdrawal from Morocco and related upgrading of Rota should be held in abeyance until after the Spanish negotiations and that a re-evaluation of our position in both countries should be made at that time. This delay, of course, would be contingent upon King Hassan’s continued favorable disposition to our military presence.

(U) If this is agreeable with the Department of State, I recommend that you inform the NSC Staff of our revised planning.

Sincerely,

Amos A. Jordan

  1. Summary: Jordan informed Weiss of Schlesinger’s decision to delay plans for a military withdrawal from Morocco.

    Source: Washington National Records Center, OSD Files: FRC 330–780011, Box 68, Morocco 1974. Secret.

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