Office of the Historian

147. Telegram From the Embassy in Saudi Arabia to the Department of State1

Jidda, June 11, 1975, 0539Z.

4170. Subject: Letter from Prince Sultan to Colonel H.M. Fish. Ref: Jidda 4138 and previous.

1. Following letter received from Minister of Defense Prince Sultan June 10, addressed to Colonel H.M. Fish, Director of Defense Security Assistance Agency:

“I refer to your letter dated May 23, 1975, in which you mention that the letters which we signed on January 5, 1975, for sixty F5/EF aircraft included the amount of twenty-three million U.S. dollars to cover costs plus agent’s fees.

“We would like to inform you that the SAG does not approve of such payments and will not permit them whatsoever. Further, I would like to remind you of what was contained in my letter to Mr. Ellsworth dated May 17, 1975, concerning the non-acceptance of any intermediary, regardless of his nationality or regardless of which party he represents, for any arms contract between the SAG and the USG.

“I hope that I have clarified our position in this matter very clearly. I take this opportunity to express my hope that the Saudi-U.S. cooperation program in the military field will continue as it has been previously designed and in a correct manner as would be desired by both Governments. Warm regards. Sultan.”

2. Original being pouched NEA/ARP.

Akins

  1. Summary: The Embassy transmitted Prince Sultan’s reply to Lt. Gen. Fish’s May 23 letter, reiterating his denial of all commission payments and other agents’ fees, and reminding the Department of Defense of his May 17 reply to Ellsworth’s March 6 letter.

    Source: National Archives, RG 84, Jidda Embassy Files: Lot 79F80, DEF 12–5.13 Northrop. Secret; Immediate. Drafted by Akins; cleared by Murphy; approved by Horan. Repeated to the Department of Defense; repeated Immediate to Dhahran. Jidda 4138 is published as Document 146.

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