Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E-15, Part 2, Documents on Western Europe, 1973–1976, Second, Revised Edition

212. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft) to President Ford¹

Washington, February 4, 1976.

SUBJECT

• US-Spanish Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation

The Secretary of State and Spanish Foreign Minister signed the new Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the United States and Spain in Madrid on January 24. The treaty is the result of negotiations between the two countries initiated in November 1974 and replaces a previous agreement with Spain which expired in September 1975. (Since then, we have been continuing our operations on Spanish soil under an informal arrangement with Spain pending the conclusion of the new treaty.)

The treaty consists of the “framework agreement” initialed on October 4, 1975, and seven supplementary agreements negotiated since that date. The principal elements of the new treaty are as follows:

—Establishment of a strengthened security relationship between the United States and Spain, including provision for military coordination and planning related to Western defense matters. In this connection, the treaty does not establish a mutual defense obligation, but underscores the interests that the two nations share in having a strong and credible defense in the Western European/Atlantic area.

—An assistance package for Spain amounting to approximately $770 million over the next five years—over $600 million in loans and credits and the balance in various forms of grants. Independent of the treaty, we are planning to provide $450 million in Export-Import Bank loans—thus explaining the total shown in press reports of $1.2 billion for the agreement.

—Retention of all existing U.S. installations and facilities on Spanish soil, with the following exceptions. We have agreed to remove most of our tanker aircraft from Spain to locations elsewhere in Europe and to withdraw, by July 1, 1979, the ballistic missile submarines based at Rota. These revised basing arrangements reflect changes in military technology and requirements that have taken place over the last few years or are expected to occur in the near future.

The treaty, together with the seven supplementary agreements relating thereto, will be forwarded to you in the near future with the recommendation that it be submitted to the Senate for advice and consent to ratification. Initial soundings in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee indicate a generally cautious yet positive attitude toward the new treaty. Most members wish to provide every reasonable encouragement to Spain under Juan Carlos and see approval of the treaty as a means of doing this.

This memorandum is provided for your information. No action is required on this matter at this time.

1. Summary: Scowcroft discussed the U.S.-Spanish Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation.

   Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for Europe and Canada, Box 12, Spain (3). Confidential. Sent for information. A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it. Ford initialed the memorandum. On January 24, Kissinger met with Arias, as well as Juan Carlos; the following day he met with Areilza and Spanish Minister of the Interior Manuel Fraga Iribane. (Memoranda of conversation, January 24 and 25; National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files, P820117–0304, P820117–0517, and P820117–0385)