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

72. Telegram From the Embassy in Algeria to the Department of State¹

3942.

Algiers, July 30, 1986, 1438Z

Eyes Only for NEA Armacost and Murphy only. Subj: Algeria-Libya.

1. Secret entire text.

2. In the past six weeks, the Algeria-Libya relationship has been the subject of intense internal maneuvering within the GOA, leading, it would appear, to a major policy decision by President Bendjedid to largely [1½ lines not declassified].

3. As previously reported (Algiers 3468 Nodis),² internal debate pitted General Belkheir and Foreign Minister Ibrahimi, who opposed political rapprochement with Libya, against FLN Party Secretary Messaadia, National Assembly President Rabah Bitat and certain military officers who favored political rapprochement up to and including union with Libya.

4. Debate appears to have been resolved in favor of the anti-Qadhafi group by the President shortly after his return from Brussels. Our first indication of this came in my meeting with Ibrahimi on July 17 (Algiers 3722).³ [3½ lines not declassified]

5. It now appears that:

(1) Messaadia’s planned trip to Libya in July–August has been indefinitely postponed.

(2) [2 lines not declassified]

(3) [5 lines not declassified]

6. We are, of course, pleased by this favorable turn of events. I think our intensive campaign, both here and in Washington, to convince the Algerians of the damage to U.S.-Algeria relations posed by continued Libya-Algeria rapprochement has been one factor, among others, contributing to the GOA decision. Another possibly more important factor has been the growing sense [3 lines not declassified] a successor regime that is even more distasteful.

7. [1 paragraph (19 lines) not declassified]

8. We will continue to monitor Algeria’s peripatetic relationship with Libya for signs of any further changes of mind. However, for the time being, we are on a roll and should capitalize on it by pressing ahead with our efforts to rid the region of the Qadhafi problem.

Johnstone

1. Source: Department of State, INR/IL Historical Records, [text not declassified], Algiers, 1986–88. Secret; Immediate; [handling restriction not declassified].
2. See footnote 2, Document 71.
3. In telegram 3722 from Algiers, July 18, Johnstone reported: “I had a long, ‘relaxed, general policy review of the regional situation’ with Foreign Minister Ibrahimi July 17 at his request. Ibrahimi used meeting to express concern over Tunisia, provide categorical assurances on Algerian policy toward Libya, and to urge a discreet U.S. role on the Western Sahara.” Johnstone indicated that Ibrahimi “said that, despite what the Libyans might be saying, Algeria would under no circumstances accept political union with just Libya. The only union Algeria would accept was a union that included Tunisia, Mauritania, and Morocco.” (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D860552–0711)