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

237. Telegram From the Embassy in Morocco to the Department of State¹

2328.

Rabat, March 12, 1985, 1732Z

For NEA/DAS Thomas Nassif from Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed. Subject: Invitation to President Reagan to Visit Morocco. Ref: (A) Nassif/Reed Telcon of March 6² (B) State 66616³ (C) Rabat 2097.⁴

1. Secret—Entire text

2. Per ref (A), Mission has not yet conveyed message contained in ref (B). We continue to hope that a means will be found to respond favorably to King Hassan’s invitation consistent with recommendations of Ambassador Kirkpatrick contained in ref (C). If such a response is not possible, as discussed in ref (A), I believe that the news should be conveyed to Hassan via a brief and personal message from the President.

3. I anticipate my next audience with King Hassan, during the visit of General Lawson, in Marrakech on March 20 after the King’s return from a week-long tour of Southern Morocco and the Western Sahara. The King will be out of contact in the meantime and I recommend that I convey any message on this subject to him March 20. If the reply to his invitation is negative, I recommend that the President’s message make reference to the possibility of receiving Hassan should he visit the United States later in the year. Reference could also be made to the forthcoming visit to Washington of Prime Minister Karim Lamrani to head the GOM delegation to the Joint Economic and Military Commission meetings in May.

Reed

1. Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S Records, 1985 Nodis Telegrams: Lot 95D025, Rabat 1985 Nodis. Secret; Immediate; Nodis.
2. Not found.
3. In telegram 66616 to Rabat, March 6, the Department instructed the Embassy “to convey to the King President Reagan’s deep personal regrets that it not possible for him to accept the King’s kind invitation to visit Morocco. In conveying this message, you should avoid any suggestion of an invitation for Hassan to visit Washington.” (Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S Records, 1985 Nodis Telegrams: Lot 95D025, Rabat 1985 Nodis)
4. In telegram 2097 from Rabat, March 6, the Embassy transmitted the text of a message from Kirkpatrick to Armacost, in which she wrote: “I strongly urge that the President stop a few hours in Morocco on his way to or from Portugal and Spain. It would be safe and extremely important to Morocco. Should that for any reason be impossible, I urge that the King be invited for a State visit because it is terrible for him to have his greatest rival, President Bendjedid, offered a State visit, while he, who has supported us in so many ways, has only been invited for a lower level (official) visit three years ago.” (Ibid.)