78. Memorandum From Secretary of State Vance to President Carter1
[Omitted here is material unrelated to Algeria.]
2. Algeria—I met Ambassador Redha Malek of Algeria this afternoon. Malek stressed Algeria’s determination to broaden relationships with the US and thought that the Iran and Afghanistan situations offered grounds for closer cooperation.2 He personally thought the non-aligned movement should take a position against the Soviet invasion. I pressed him to urge that the Algerian Ambassador in Tehran try hard again to gain access to our hostages. He agreed.
On the Sahara, he agreed on the need for an early, peaceful solution based on a compromise settlement. I suggested that Algeria discuss the Sahara bilaterally with the Moroccans in the first instance, rather than insisting that the Moroccans talk first to the Polisario. (Angie Duke reports these discussions may already have started.) Malek expressed uneasiness over the forthcoming testimony to Congress on the Moroccan arms package, and hoped it would not have a negative impact on our relationship. I assured him that we would make clear our arms are designed to promote a negotiated settlement, not to win a war.
[Omitted here is material unrelated to Algeria.]
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 22, Evening Reports (State): 1/80. Secret. Carter initialed the memorandum and wrote “Cy” in the upper right-hand corner.↩
- Carter underlined “closer cooperation” and wrote “good” in the left-hand margin. In telegram 17458 to Algiers, January 21, the Department provided a detailed account of the meeting between Vance and Malek. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D800036–0466)↩