Office of the Historian

148. Memorandum From Secretary of State Shultz to President Reagan1

Washington, April 18, 1985

1. Algeria. During our meeting this afternoon,2 President Bendjedid noted that Algeria has very good relations with all Arab countries and wishes to be helpful on Middle East issues. He asked what we expect of his government and whether there might be any change in our own approach to the issue. I sought to reassure Bendjedid that the Israelis genuinely are interested in entering into negotiations with an acceptable Arab delegation. I also told him it would be helpful if he would encourage King Hussein and support him once a joint Jordanian/non-PLO Palestinian delegation is formed. Benejedid nodded his understanding. On the Western Sahara situation, he noted that we are now fully informed on Algerian objectives and proposals and expressed the hope that we will encourage King Hassan to seek a negotiated settlement. I told him we understand that Algeria has no territorial ambitions in the Western Sahara and that we are pleased that his government will keep working with the Moroccans on this problem. I assured him that, to the extent we have influence with King Hassan, we will encourage resolution of the problem. I thanked Benjedid for his government’s efforts in seeking the release of the kidnapees in Lebanon. I proposed that this subject be taken up in greater detail at the working level. He readily agreed and directed that Col. Bencherchali meet with Acting Assistant Secretary Raphel to pursue the topic. This meeting should take place this evening.3 (SENSITIVE)

[Omitted here is material unrelated to Algeria.]

  1. Source: Reagan Library, George Shultz Papers, President’s Evening Reading April–June 1985. Secret; Sensitive.↩
  2. The Shultz-Benjedid conversation is in telegram 120960 to Algiers, Cairo, and Baghdad, April 20. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D850276–0344)↩
  3. In an April 19 information memorandum, Raphel informed Shultz that he had met with Bencherchali on April 18 and told him that “Those holding our hostages have one central demand—the releases of the Dawa prisoners in Kuwait in exchange for our people. The Kuwaiti government has been quite firm, even during the hijacking of the Kuwaiti airliner to Tehran, in refusing any prisoner trade. The policy of the United States is equally firm and precludes any trade involving our citizens.” Bencherchali replied that while Algeria wanted “to continue to help” he was “not as upbeat as Bendjedid who, earlier in the visit, had said that we might see some positive movement in the next several weeks. Bencherchali believes we still have a long road ahead of us.” (Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S Records, 1985 Nodis and Exdis Memoranda: Lot 94D92, Box 1, Nodis Memoranda April 1–30, 1985)↩