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

239. Action Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Murphy) to Secretary of State Shultz¹

Washington, May 3, 1985

SUBJECT

• Morocco—Suggested Letter From You to King Hassan

ISSUE FOR DECISION: Whether you should send a letter to King Hassan following his request for postponement of the Joint Economic and Military Commission meetings.²

DISCUSSION: Among the steps Ambassador Reed recommended to deal with present strains in our relationship with Morocco is a letter from you to the King, acknowledging and expressing understanding for his decision to request postponement of the Joint Economic and Military Commission meetings, which were to have taken place in Washington May 7–10. We agree with the Ambassador that such a letter is in order. Attached is a draft for your consideration (TAB 1). It contains a few changes from Ambassador Reed’s suggested draft, made to remove any encouragement for Hassan to involve himself in the Middle East peace process, (which we consider might be counterproductive), or any commitment by you to participate in or meet with the Joint Commissions when they eventually convene.

For your information, Secretary of Defense Weinberger has already sent a message to Hassan.³

RECOMMENDATION: That you approve the cable message and sign the original (to be pouched to Rabat) at TAB 1.⁴

Tab 1

Telegram From Secretary of State Shultz to the Embassy in Morocco⁵

Secto 9016.

Bonn, May 6, 1985, 0117Z

SUBJECT

• Message From Secretary Shultz to King Hassan.

Ref:

• Rabat 4002.⁶

1. Secret—Entire text

2. Please deliver following message from Secretary Shultz to King Hassan. Signed original being pouched.

3. Begin text:

Your Majesty:

Ambassador Reed has conveyed to me your decision to postpone for several months the meetings of the U.S.-Moroccan Joint Economic and Joint Military Commissions which were scheduled to be held in Washington from May 7–10.

The postponement of these meetings should, in no case, detract from the considerable importance which we continue to attach to the Joint Military and Economic Commissions as valuable catalysts for strengthening bilateral cooperation in these areas between our two countries. We will continue to address this issue in the light of the close relationship which exists between our two countries and the value we place upon our association.

We look forward to receiving your government’s suggestions regarding appropriate new dates for the holding of these meetings, and I am confident a mutually agreeable schedule can be established.

Please accept, Your Majesty, the assurance of my highest respect for your leadership and for the historic friendship and bonds which unite Morocco and the United States. Sincerely yours, George P. Shultz.

His Majesty

Hassan II,

King of Morocco,

Rabat. End text.

Shultz

1. Source: Reagan Library, George Shultz Papers, Official Memoranda (05/02/1985–05/06/1985). Secret. Sent through Armacost. Drafted on April 30 by Robert Barrett (NEA/AFN); cleared by Zweifel, Nassif, and in substance by Loustanou (DOC) and Savitt (DOD). Neither Murphy nor Armacost initialed the memorandum. A stamped notation at the top of the memorandum reads: “GPS.” McKinley also initialed the memorandum and wrote: “3 May.”
2. In telegram 3946 from Rabat, April 26, Reed reported that King Hassan had decided to postpone the JMC and EC meeting scheduled to take place May 7–10, which reflected his “fears that Commission meetings without tangible results would aggravate growing problems of perception in the bilateral relationship.” (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D850292–0342)
3. No record of Weinberger’s message has been found.
4. Below this recommendation, Shultz wrote: “OK G.” A stamped notation next to this reads: “May 6 1985.”
5. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Drafted by Barrett; cleared by [illegible] and Hill; approved by McKinley. Sent for information to the Department. Shultz was in Bonn for the Economic Summit and to accompany Reagan on his state visit to the Federal Republic of Germany.
6. In telegram 4002 from Rabat, April 29, Reed stated “I strongly recommend that you acknowledge and express understanding for King Hassan’s recent decision to postpone the Joint Economic and Joint Military Commission meetings in Washington for several months” and proposed a draft message from Shultz to Hassan. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D850297–0715)