Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XXI, Africa

125. Memorandum Prepared in the Department of Defense⁰

Washington, October 25, 1961.

DEFENSE REQUIREMENT FOR CONTINUED USE OFCOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES IN MOROCCO AFTER 1963

There is a need for the continued operation after 1963 of the present U.S. Navy communications facilities at Bouknadel and Sidi Yahia. In addition there is a need for continued operation of certain very limited U.S. Air Force communications facilities at and near the Sidi Slimane air base. The latter specifically include the communications center at Sidi Slimane air base, the receiver site about sixteen miles west of the air base and the transmitter site about ten miles east of the air base.

The most effective use of the U.S. Navy communications facilities at Bouknadel and Sidi Yahia would require certain support facilities not available at the sites themselves (for example, some administrative, housing, medical, and commissary facilities, and the limited use of air transport facilities). The most practicable solution for these support needs would appear to be some arrangement, satisfactory to both Governments, under which continued use could be made of certain facilities at the Kenitra naval air station which already serve to support the communications sites.

The Air Force facilities at and near Sidi Slimane could be operated after 1963 by approximately thirty-five civilian employees of a U.S. civilian contractor. Operation of the sites at Bouknadel and Sidi Yahia would require approximately their current personnel strength, but we would propose to make maximum practicable use of Moroccan personnel in order to reduce the total number of U.S. naval personnel involved. The naval personnel would wear civilian clothing at all times.

As King Hassan was advised during his first visit to Washington as Crown Prince in October 1960, the communications facilities encompassed by the United States proposal are important elements in the world-wide communications system of the United States forces. As such, they are important in the defense of the Western world, including North Africa, against potential Communist aggression. It was also confirmed to the Crown Prince that the function of the facilities would be to provide relay points for the transmission of administrative and operational messages.

0. Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 330, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 64 A 2382, Morocco, 680.1, Sept.-Dec. 1961. Secret. Attached to a memorandum from the Director of Foreign Military Rights Affairs, William E. Lang, to William Witman, stating that the Department of Defense had undertaken to provide a memorandum on its specific post-1963 communications requirements and the ways in which the facilities in Morocco might be converted without jeopardizing the military mission. Noting that the attached memorandum had been cleared in Defense, Lang asked that it be forwarded to Ambassador Bonsal as a basis for discussion with the Moroccans concerning post-1963 communications arrangements.

   A copy of the memorandum was transmitted to Bonsal on November 9. (Instruction CW-4125; Department of State, Central Files, 771.56311/11-961) On December 5, the Ambassador responded that it was clear from the record of all previous conversations with the King that he assumed that continued operation of the communications sites after 1963 would be predicated upon generous U.S. assistance. Thus, the Embassy was convinced that any proposal to Hassan should be in the form of a comprehensive package covering in detail U.S. post-1963 needs and spelling out the advantages to Morocco of U.S. technical and economic aid. (Telegram 933 from Rabat; ibid., 771.56311/12-561)