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

257. Briefing Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Murphy) to Acting Secretary of State Whitehead¹

Washington, April 30, 1986

SUBJECT

• USG Reaction to Moroccan Efforts for an Arab League Summit

At the April 30 morning meeting,² you asked whether we should consider sanctions against Morocco in light of Hassan’s efforts to organize an Arab League Summit.³ For several reasons, sanctions against Morocco would be counterproductive.

— Morocco is the venue for the highest level U.S.-host country military exercise out of NATO.

— Our existing access and transit agreement with Morocco has strategic importance for our military posture in the area as well as utility as an alternative to Spanish and Portuguese bases or access agreements. We are building our largest global VOA transmittal station at Tangier.

— The GOM has been very responsive on short notice to requests such as the designation of Casablanca as an alternate landing site for space shuttle flights.

Since conclusion of the Libyan-Moroccan treaty, our relations with Morocco have been marked by an appropriate coolness, but we have been careful to protect important interests such as those cited above. In this vein, we have signaled to Hassan that his latest efforts on the Arab Summit further might complicate possibilities of a visit to Washington. I believe that is where we should draw the line for the moment.

1. Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S Records, 1986 Nodis Memorandums: Lot 94D93, Exdis Files Apr, May, June, Jul, Aug 1986. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Zweifel; cleared by Ussery and John Hawes (PM). Zweifel initialed for both Ussery and Hawes. Murphy did not initial the memorandum. A stamped notation indicates that it was received in S/S at 5:25 p.m. on April 30.
2. No record of the April 30 morning meeting has been found.
3. In telegram 4077 from Rabat, April 24, the Embassy reported: “MFA SecState Cherkaoui confirmed to Embassy April 24 that emergency Arab League summit in Fes now appears likely for next week, but not yet certain.” The Embassy continued “Cherkaoui expressed understanding for U.S. position and assurances that King Hassan would work against any criticism of the U.S. He offered no strategy, however, for how Morocco might prevent such a summit from becoming a forum for Libya.” (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D860316–0556)