Office of the Historian

1. Telegram From the Embassy in Tunisia to the Department of State1

Tunis, January 12, 1977, 1043Z

252. Dept pls pass DOD. Subject: Alleged Qadhafi Decision To “Unite” Libya and Tunisia.

1. Admiral Bagley, CINCUSNAVEUR, was received by Tunisian Minister of Defense Farhat on January 11, shortly after his arrival in Tunisia on official visit. Atmosphere was cordial and meeting served useful purposes.

2. It was obvious throughout meeting that Libya still uppermost in minds of Tunisian defense officials (Deputy Defense Minister Bennour, Secretary General Alouini and Navy Chief of Staff Jedidi also present). Farhat stated during meeting that new source of concern was intelligence report received by GOT concerning secret meeting held by Qadhafi on approximately January 1 in which he allegedly outlined his plans for “uniting” with Tunisia. Qadhafi supposedly told meeting that while in Moscow he had obtained assurances that if he decided to “take over” Tunisia, Moscow would maintain hands off policy (i.e. would not object to Libyan use of Soviet arms for this purpose). Qadhafi went on to say that he had made definite decision to unify Libya and Tunisia by any means, including force, and that he believed he could count on Algerian support or neutrality in the event he attaked Tunisia.

3. Farhat said he took reported Qadhafi remarks seriously. He believed that Qadhafi had decided that Egypt was more than he could chew and that he would now turn his attention to Tunisia. Farhat said he believed Qadhafi counting on Egyptian, Iraqi and Palestinian mercenaries, whom he now recruiting, to make up for lack of trained [Page 2] Libyans. Farhat added that in event of hostilities he expected Egypt and Algeria would both remain neutral.

4. Questioned further at dinner that evening about seriousness of reported Qadhafi threat, Bennour said it “very disturbing” fresh intelligence acquired only “three or four days ago”.

King
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770011–0832. Secret; Exdis. Sent for information to Algiers, Cairo, Moscow, and Tripoli.↩