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

436. Letter From Vice President Bush to King Hassan II of Morocco¹

Washington, January 24, 1986

Your Majesty:

The beginning of a new year is both a time to look ahead to new challenges and to look back on past accomplishments and satisfactions. One of the great satisfactions of 1985 is the continuation of the United States’ long friendship with the Kingdom of Morocco.

Looking ahead, we remain concerned by the situation in the Western Sahara. Your continuing willingness to seek a political settlement is an important, positive factor. It was in this spirit that my Government worked closely with yours at the United Nations. I regret that that debate was again sterile but I am heartened to learn from close friends in France of your willingness to address this issue in other fora.

Your Majesty, you know that my Government is convinced that a solution to this problem can best be approached through discussions between Morocco and Algeria. Your previous high level dialogue with President Bendjedid and his government held out hope, and is still referred very positively by Algerian officials.

Now that the dust has settled after the unfruitful United Nations’ debate, it would seem a propitious time again to examine whether renewed high level contacts between you and President Bendjedid might not produce movement. Based on my personal conversations with him and other ranking Algerian officials, I believe there is an increasing receptivity on the Algerian side to such a dialogue.

I will subsequently be writing President Bendjedid to suggest to him, as I am to you, that this could be an important moment to work for peace in the Western Sahara.²

Please accept, Your Majesty, my continuing best wishes for the health and well-being of yourself and the people of Morocco.

Sincerely,

George Bush

1. Source: Reagan Library, Near East and South Asia Affairs Directorate, Morocco 1986 (01/01/1986–02/11/1986). No classification marking.
2. In a January 28 letter to Bendjedid, Bush wrote: “We remain convinced that the solution to this conflict can best be approached through discussions between your two governments. I have written King Hassan to express this view, and wished to express to you directly my hope that such talks can take place.” (Ibid.)