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

211. Letter From President Reagan to King Hassan II of Morocco¹

Washington, September 22, 1982

Your Majesty:

I deeply appreciated your letter of September 19 on the tragic events which took place in Lebanon this past week.² I share with you feelings of outrage and revulsion over the murders of innocent Palestinian civilians. There can be no justification for this heinous crime which has only deepened the suffering in Lebanon and made more difficult the goal of achieving national reconciliation, an imperative objective shared by all men of good will.

As I told the American people on September 20,³ we must and will act with all friends of Lebanon to bring to an end this nightmare of suffering. To this end, we have once again agreed with our French and Italian allies to constitute a multinational force and dispatch it urgently to Beirut. If all goes well, this force will arrive in Lebanon within the next few days. It will have as its task assisting the Government of Lebanon to assume full responsibility over its capital, an essential precondition for extending its control over the entire country. It is only by beginning this process that we can stop the cycle of violence which has swept Lebanon for the past seven years and move forward the search for peace and a solution to the plight of the Palestinians.

I am convinced the Lebanese people deeply yearn for peace and a restoration of stability in their troubled country. Given the opportunity and proper conditions, I believe they will bend every effort to return to constitutional government. This has been most lately evidenced by the election September 21 of Amin Gemayal as President of Lebanon. An absolute precondition for the return of normality to Lebanon, however, is the withdrawal of all foreign forces from that troubled land. I can assure you, Your Majesty, that my government will spare no effort towards this end.

It is essential in the period ahead that the friends of Lebanon work together towards our common objectives. We must all bring our influence to bear in constructive ways to restore stability in Lebanon and create the conditions which allow the process of national reconciliation to go forward. I am sure that Your Majesty will do everything possible in achieving this goal. As always, I value highly your views and wise counsel.

Please be assured, Your Majesty, of my friendship and high esteem.

Sincerely,

Ronald Reagan

1. Source: Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC Head of State File, Morocco: King Hassan II (820564–8206108). No classification marking.
2. See Document 210.
3. Reference is to Reagan’s September 20 address regarding the new Multinational Force in Lebanon. For the text of the address, see Public Papers: Reagan 1982, Book II, pp. 1187–1189. Documentation on the MNF is scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1981–1988, vol. XVIII, Lebanon, Part 2, Lebanon, September 1982–March 1984.