Office of the Historian

445. Memorandum Prepared in the Embassy in Morocco1

Rabat, March 4, 1987

SUBJECT

  • Possible Libyan Resumption of Arms Assistance to the Polisario

At Ambassador Nassif’s reception for Secretary of the Treasury Baker March 4, Moroccan Foreign Minister Filali and Moroccan Air Force Chief Kabbaj asked to see the Secretary and the Ambassador to pass on a message from King Hassan.2 The King wished to inform Washington of his concern that Libya may have resumed arms aid to the Polisario and be rushing military equipment to the Polisario via an “air bridge.”3 From February 28 through March 4, the Moroccans have registered 11 Libyan flights to Tindouf in Algeria near the Moroccan border. The Moroccans [Page 902] think the aircraft may be Soviet-built Antopov transports. Each plane has remained on the ground in Tindouf about one hour.

Noting that Libya’s Qadhafi had rhetorically attacked King Hassan publicly in remarks delivered March 2,4 and that the head of Algeria’s FLN has also spoken out strongly against Morocco this week,5 Foreign Minister Filali said the GOM wonders whether it is about to face a major escalation in the Western Sahara.

While noting that the primary purpose in asking for the brief meeting with Secretary Baker was simply to inform the Washington community about Morocco’s concerns, the Moroccan officials said that it would be very helpful if the U.S. could, [less than 1 line not declassified], discover the nature of Libyan shipments to Tindouf and inform the GOM.

Secretary Baker offered to carry the Moroccan request to Washington expeditiously and said he hoped the USG could assume a heightened state of observance in the region.

  1. Source: Reagan Library, Near East and South Asia Affairs Directorate, William J. Burns Files, Morocco (02/26/1987–04/08/1987). Secret; Sensitive. Drafted by Kirby. At the top of the memorandum, Kelly wrote: “Jim—FYI,” drew an arrow and wrote: “Pls pass to Bob Oakley,” and to the right of this wrote: “Frank gave to Gates to check out. BK.” In telegram 2245 from Rabat, March 6, the Embassy transmitted a similar version of the memorandum. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D870177–0296)↩
  2. A record of the Baker-Filali conversation, which took place before the reception, is in telegram 2246 from Rabat, March 6. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D870177–0314)↩
  3. In telegram 73536 to Rabat, March 13, the Department reported: “Embassy may inform FM Filali that, based on information available to us, we are unable to confirm that there was any resumption of Libyan military support to the Polisario.” (Department of State, INR/IL Historical Files, [text not declassified], Rabat, 1986–88)↩
  4. In telegram 2236 from Rabat, March 6, the Embassy reported: “Libyan leader Mu’ammar Qadhafi attacked King Hassan in March 2 remarks made to the Libyan General People’s Congress. These public personal attacks, the first that Qadhafi has made on Hassan since September, indicate that Libyan-Moroccan relations are probably in for a period of renewed tension.” (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D870177–0036)↩
  5. Not further identified.↩