Office of the Historian

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

Washington, April 12, 1985
Your Majesty:

I am extremely pleased that high-level contacts between our two countries have been resumed. You know how much I value your wisdom and experience, and I hope that our exchanges will continue to expand.

Ambassadors Kirkpatrick and Walters and USIA Director Wick have informed me of the warm welcome and traditional hospitality which you extended to them on the occasion of their recent visits to the Kingdom.2 Mr. Wick was particularly pleased by Your Majesty’s remarks that our expanded Voice of America relay station at Tangier will be good for Morocco as well as for the United States.3

Regrettably, I will not be here when Prime Minister Karim Lamrani comes to Washington for the meetings of the Joint Economic and Military Commissions; however, I assure you he will be well received.

I noted with pleasure that National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane accepted your kind invitation and had planned to visit the Kingdom April 21–23. However, I have asked him to participate in a very important government exercise taking place on those dates. This will necessitate postponement of this trip. I hope that Your Majesty and Ambassador Reed can reschedule Mr. McFarlane’s trip for an early, mutually convenient date.

During our fruitful exchange in February, Minister Filali conveyed to me Your Majesty’s gracious invitation to visit the Kingdom after my May trip to Europe. Unfortunately, the constraints on the schedule make it impossible for me to do this, and I greatly regret missing this opportunity to see Your Majesty and your beautiful country.4 However, I hope we will have occasion to meet soon.

Mrs. Reagan joins me in sending good wishes to you.

Your friend,

Ronald Reagan
  1. Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S Records, 1985 Nodis Memorandums: Lot 94D92, Exdis April 1985. Confidential; Exdis. The Department transmitted the message in telegram 112936 to Rabat, April 13. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D850143–0695)↩
  2. See Document 428. Kirkpatrick’s message is in telegram 2035 from Rabat, March 5. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, N850003–0318)↩
  3. A record of the Wick-Hassan conversation is in telegram 2025 from Rabat, March 2. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D850143–0695)↩
  4. In telegram 3739 from Rabat, April 22, Reed reported that during an April 17 meeting, “Hassan read the letter carefully at least twice before commenting. The King told me that he was deeply disappointed that a brief Presidential stopover even if for four hours would not be possible during the May European trip. He said he was equally disheartened that the National Security Advisor could not come to Morocco, although he said he looked forward to the visit being rescheduled at the earliest date.” (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D850277–0884)↩