Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume XXIV, North Africa

129. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Algeria¹

222550.

Washington, August 12, 1983, 1005Z

Following State 222550 dtd Aug 8, sent action Algiers being repeated to you for your info:

Quote: Subject: Ambassador Yaker’s August 1 Call on the Vice President.

1. (C) Entire text.

2. Summary: In cordial August 1 conversation, Vice President Bush and Algerian Ambassador Yaker reviewed current African and Middle Eastern questions with Yaker taking predictable Algerian line on Chad, Western Sahara and Algerian-Libyan relations. On the Middle East, Yaker recalled President Bendjedid’s message to President Reagan urging U.S. statement on Palestinian self-determination as key to progress on Lebanon and the Arab-Israeli dispute.² Yaker raised issue of Algerian gas exports to U.S. as potentially serious problem in our bilateral relations. Vice President said he would study the issue in anticipation of his September visit to Algiers.

3. Vice President Bush received Ambassador Yaker at latter’s request August 1 for lively but cordial conversation. Following is summary of salient points:

A. Vice President’s trip—Yaker reported that Algeria’s President Bendjedid is greatly looking forward to the opportunity of an exchange of views with the Vice President on issues of bilateral and international interest. The Vice President replied that he too looked forward to these talks.

B. The Vice President invited Yaker to comment on his government’s views in events in Chad. Yaker said that the Algerian Government was concerned by the events and mentioned that during Col. Qadhafi’s visit in Algiers on July 25–26 it had been agreed “that there should be no intervention by outside powers in Chad.” The Vice President asked Ambassador Yaker how this squared with Qadhafi’s intervention? The Ambassador replied that Qadhafi was responding defensively to the “presence of foreigners” in Chad. Yaker said his government believes that the only solution to the Chadian problem resided in the reconciliation of Chad’s political factions.

C. Western Sahara—Yaker summarized the results of the 19th Addis OAU summit. He, naturally, laid stress on the fact that the Western Sahara resolution of the 19th summit identified the parties.³ He pointed to King Hassan’s speech of July 9 saying that King Hassan says that he is ready to proceed with the implementation of the resolution while making no move to do so.

D. Algeria/Libya—In response to the Vice President’s question, Yaker characterized Algerian-Libyan relations as “normal”. He pointed to the complementarities in the two countries economies and noted the GOA’s interest in the building of a “Greater Maghreb”. He said that Algeria was ready to pool her resources with those of her neighbors in order to solve problems.

E. Middle East—Yaker recapitulated his government’s current views on the Middle East, without breaking new ground. He pointed out that Algeria had sent a message to President Reagan urging the U.S. to speak out on the issue of self-determination for the Palestinians in a Jordano-Palestinian framework. He stressed his government’s view that the basic (Palestinian) problem had to be dealt with if all the other related problems were to be resolved.

F. Lebanon/PLO/West Bank—In response to the Vice President’s account of the evolution of Syria’s position on the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Lebanon, which included specific reference to Assad’s previous assertion that Syria would pull out of Lebanon once the Israelis had agreed to do so, Yaker noted the dilemma of the Palestinians: where would they go? He linked the current split in the PLO to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon. He urged the U.S. to declare that it is Washington’s view that self-determination for the people of the West Bank is needed; that their future lay in association with Jordan. If the U.S. Government were to make such a statement “then we can get together and solve all the issues now before us in the region.” Yaker thought that President Gemayel’s writ runs only in Beirut; that the Syrians have security concerns; that Israel should be asked to withdraw its troops unconditionally and that Israeli settlement activities should be stopped.

G. Yaker raised Algeria’s gas exports to the U.S. as an important bilateral issue. He informed the Vice President of the presence of an Algerian delegation which had come to study the problem. The Ambassador gave the Algerian Government’s view that its LNG contracts with American firms should be fulfilled. Algeria is being asked to review the terms of its agreements with Trunkline. In an effort to be accommodating, Algeria has agreed to set aside a take or pay provision of the contract with Trunkline for two years. It has agreed to reduce the volume of its sales of gas to Trunkline by 40 percent. In so doing, it would earn roughly dols 500 million less than it had planned, sums which it would have to borrow on the financial markets as a consequence. Notwithstanding these Algerian concessions it now appears that Congress and the FERC may take positions adverse to Algeria in this context. “This would create difficult problems in our bilateral relations.” After hearing Yaker out, the Vice President responded that he would get himself briefed up on details of the gas problem so as to be prepared to discuss it in Algiers. Shultz

Unquote

Shultz

1. Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D830452–0491. Confidential. Drafted by James Vincent (AF/I); cleared by Sebastian and Kenneth Scott (AF/W); approved by Vincent. Sent for information to Bamako, Dakar, Conakry, and Nouakchott.
2. See footnote 3, Document 127.
3. See Document 407.