250. Letter From President Carter to King Hassan II of Morocco1
I would like to take the occasion of Ambassador Duke’s arrival in Rabat to reiterate our interest in a continuing close relationship with a strong Morocco at peace with its neighbors.
Now that we have begun the process of notifying Congress of our intentions to provide Morocco with new forms and quantities of military equipment, I hope that you will move boldly toward the achievement of a negotiated settlement of the dispute in the Western Sahara. Such an initiative would be particularly useful to us as we proceed with the process of Congressional consultations on specific sales. I hope an occasion will arise soon which will provide the opportunity for a tangible step toward negotiations.
The volatile nature of current world events makes it all the more important that the Western Sahara dispute be resolved peacefully before it can be exploited by other interests. I was particularly pleased when Deputy Secretary Christopher reported to me that you have a plan for negotiations in 1980 that you will communicate to me at the appropriate time.2
Ambassador Duke has my full confidence and I hope you will speak to him as you would to me personally. In particular, I hope you will feel free to convey to him your views on how a peaceful settlement of the Western Sahara dispute might be achieved.
Sincerely,
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, President’s Correspondence with Foreign Leaders File, Box 13, Morocco: King Hassan II, 4/77–12/79. No classification marking.↩
- See Document 248. In an October 31 memorandum to Carter, Vance wrote: “As his reporting messages indicated, Warren found the King in a very protective mood with respect to possible negotiations, saying that he would reveal his plan only to you, and at the right moment, and being completely noncommittal on involvement of the Polisario.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 22, Evening Reports (State): 10/79)↩