Office of the Historian

131. Memorandum From Secretary of State Vance to President Carter1

Washington, October 27, 1979

[Omitted here are items unrelated to Central Africa.]

Equatorial Guinea—DCM Peter Lord from Yaounde concluded discussions yesterday with the new government of Equatorial Guinea and reports that authorities there are eager to normalize diplomatic relations and are enthusiastic about our proposed US Navy ship visit in mid-November.2 We will proceed to plan the visit. Lord reached agreement on the text of a joint communique, announcing the normalization of diplomatic relations, which could be signed November 1 when Lord returns to Malabo to deliver medical supplies. Equatorial Guinea indicated it would nominate its UN Ambassador as Ambassador to the US. On the basis of this positive response, we intend to move quickly to accredit Ambassador Mabel Smythe in Yaounde as our non-resident Ambassador. We have also begun developing programs for development assistance drawing on regional AID funds.3

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 22, Evening Reports (State) 10/79. Secret. Carter wrote “Cy, J” in the upper right corner.↩
  2. In telegram 6679 from Yaounde, October 27, the Embassy reported on the results of Lord’s discussions in Malabo. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790492–0059)↩
  3. Carter wrote “ok” in the left margin. Diplomatic relations between the United States and Equatorial Guinea officially resumed on December 19.↩