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

368. Telegram From the Embassy in Tunisia to the Department of State¹

13092.

Tunis, December 23, 1988, 1622Z

Recat to [less than 1 line not declassified] per State 414953. Subject: President Ben Ali Discusses Cooperation Against Libya.

1. Secret—Entire text.

2. This report should be read in conjunction with Tunis 13091² reporting the bulk of my December 23 conversation with the President on Libya.

3. President Ben Ali said he wished to repeat the assurance that he had given the U.S. a year ago.³ [less than 3 lines not declassified] Until then, Tunisia would remain vigilant and treat its normalization with Libya as part of its over-all defense strategy. There was no change, Ben Ali said, in Tunisia’s “strategic choice” of close relations with the United States.

4. [1 paragraph (12 lines) not declassified]

5. For S/S: Suggest you share para 4 with Director INR/IRE [name not declassified].

Pelletreau

1. Source: Department of State, INR/IL Historical Files, [less than I line not declassified], 1986–88, Tunis. Secret; [handling restriction not declassified].
2. Telegram 13091 from Tunis, December 23, reported that “President Ben Ali gave clear assurances that Tunisia is not being taken in by Qadhafi. Normalization is part of Tunisia’s defensive strategy, the President said. Tunisia wishes to cooperate with the U.S. in developing the best possible information on Libya’s CW capability, but the President cautioned against military action to remove it.” (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D881120–0642)
3. Not found.