Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XVII, Part 2, Sub-Saharan Africa

54. Memorandum of Conversation¹

Washington, April 8, 1980, 9–9:25 a.m.

SUBJECT

• The President’s Meeting With President Senghor of Senegal

PARTICIPANTS

• The President
• Secretary of State Cyrus Vance
• Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski
• Ambassador Herman Cohen
• Mr. Louis Martin, Special Assistant to the President
• President Leopold Senghor
• Ambassador Andre Coulbary
• Interpreter: Alec Toumayan

BACKGROUND: President Senghor was in the U.S. on a private visit, and was hosted in Washington D.C. by Mayor Marion Barry. (U)

The President opened by noting the compatibility of ideas between the U.S. and Senegal on the Soviet/Cuban threat to Africa, and the necessity for maintaining the political and economic strength to meet that threat. (S)

President Senghor responded that he is concerned by the Soviet menace both in Asia and Africa, and disappointed about the level of support for the U.S. on Iran and Afghanistan, particularly by the French and the Germans. (S)

The President replied that while the allies had not been as firm and united on these issues as they might have been, he remains optimistic that in the long run they will be more supportive of efforts to oppose Soviet aggression in Afghanistan and the use of Soviet surrogates to destabilize Africa. (S)

President Senghor said that he would raise the issues in upcoming talks with Schmidt and Giscard d’Estaing. He noted that while the Europeans had taught Africans to think rationally about the world, these Europeans sometimes fail to think rationally themselves about Africa and Asia. (S)

He said that Senegal approved of U.S. measures on Iran and Afghanistan, and supported the U.S. position both at the U.N. and at the Islamabad meeting.² He also said that Senegal would be closing its Embassy in Tehran, as a way of helping in the hostage situation. (S)

Senghor repeated his position that Senegal would not be able to support the Olympic boycott, because this would be inconsistent with the refusal to boycott the Montreal games in 1976, but Senegal would not influence others to go to Moscow. He said that he advocated a change of venue—to give the games a permanent home in Greece. (S)

The President responded that there was an honest disagreement over the Olympics, and that he felt the Soviet people will interpret attendance as an endorsement of aggression in Afghanistan. He asked Senghor to keep an open mind on the issue. (S)

Senghor responded that he would do everything possible to support the President short of an actual boycott. (S)

Senghor expressed his concern about Soviet and Cuban efforts to subvert African nations. He said that U.S. assistance for Morocco and Tunisia was helpful, and he hoped that the U.S. would give military aid to African nations willing to stand up to Soviet aggression. He noted that while it was desirable for all foreign military forces to leave Africa,—the 60,000 Communist troops and the 15,000 Western military alike,—this was impossible because the pro-Communist African governments need foreign Communist troops to stay in power. (S)

The President expressed the hope that Senghor would continue his efforts in the OAU to rid the Continent of foreign troops. (S)

Senghor turned to the problem of Western Sahara, and noted that he is working hard for a compromise. He said he was hopeful that Algeria would listen to suggestions for a settlement. (S)

Finally, Senghor noted that he had met World Bank President McNamara the previous day, and that he hoped the U.S. Congress would be supportive of the work of the Bank. (S)

The President endorsed Senghor’s hope, but noted that it is not always a simple matter to persuade the Congress to be entirely cooperative. (S)

The President thanked President Senghor for calling on him, and they exchanged farewells. (U)

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Box 113, Memcons, 4/78–10/80. Secret. The meeting took place in the Oval Office at the White House.
2. At the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, January 27–29, the participants adopted a resolution condemning the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. (Keesing’s Contemporary Archives, Volume XXVI, 1980, pp. 30241–30242)