53. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Arab Emirates to the Department of State1
971. Subject: Invitation to Shaikh Zayid to Visit the U.S. For Under Secretary Sisco from Ambassador.
1. In our recent assessment we made observation that while we are not doing badly in terms of our overall interests here, impetus imparted by our establishment of Embassies in Gulf has begun to slow down, and there are things we should be doing to restore momentum to our relations with Gulf states. Of recommendations we made in last of our series of messages (Abu Dhabi 276), in my judgment most effective step we can at this juncture take to strengthen our position [Page 229] in UAE is to invite Shaikh Zayid to visit the U.S. He has never been to the U.S., and we know from several sources close to him that he has been hoping for invitation for several years.
2. Zayid has now been in power for three years, during which period he has grown steadily in stature and authority as UAE Chief of State. Agreements he has just concluded with oil companies assures him of oil production level (1.5 million BPD for Abu Dhabi alone) and income this year that will give UAE voice within OPEC of some significance, and wherewithall to continue large handouts of assistance to Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, where we have important objectives. It is worth the USG taking some trouble to cultivate Zayid. He responds handsomely to personal treatment, and it is observable fact that UAE’s relations with countries Zayid has visited are particularly strong. From point of view of his own internal and inter-Arab politics, prestige of visit to the U.S. would help him and he can be counted on to reciprocate in terms of our own interests here. I am moreover concerned that, with invitations having been extended to Zayid by almost every important European state, the absence of one from us has been noticed and will soon begin to have a negative effect.
3. Best time for visit would be middle of late July, immediately following State visit which Zayid is planning to make to France on July 7. If this not convenient time for us, another good period from Zayid’s point of view would be at end of his European summer vacation around mid-September. However, this begins to be busy season for U.S. officials and I believe July date would be preferable. We hear from one of Zayid’s advisors that if invitation in early summer is received Zayid would like to prolong stay in U.S. as private visit for part of his summer vacation, an excellent opportunity to maximize his exposure to the U.S. without additional burden to the USG. One thing we should try to avoid is having Zayid do a “Qabous” on us, arranging visit privately and thereby presenting us with fait accompli at time which may be inconvenient for us. It will have far more impact on Zayid if he feels we have extended invitation to him on our own initiative.
4. I enlist your personal support to enable us to invite Shaikh Zayid for visit to U.S. in July. While it would be mistake not to extend Zayid full honors since this will be his first trip to U.S., period of time he stays in Washington can be short (day or day and a half) and burden on President and other U.S. officials need not be great.
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Summary: The Embassy recommended that the Department invite President of State Shaikh Zayid ibn Sultan Al-Nuhayan of Abu Dhabi to visit the United States in order to strengthen relations with the United Arab Emirates.
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for the Middle East and South Asia 1974–77, Box 32, Trucial States, State Department Telegrams, To SecState—Nodis. Confidential; Nodis. In telegram 127936 to Abu Dhabi, June 2, the Department postponed Ambassador Sterner’s request because of the additional invitations a Gulf ruler’s visit would necessitate. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P860035–0794)
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