206. Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Hilsman) to Secretary of State Rusk0
INTELLIGENCE NOTE
- Moscow Moves Rapidly on Civil Air Routes in Africa
Four More Countries Approached. Following its mid-April negotiations with the Sudanese, the USSR has now asked Libya, Somalia, Niger, and Chad to sign various types of air agreements necessary for Aeroflot operations in North, East, and West Africa. Czechoslovakia and Senegal signed an air agreement on May 2, and there are reports that Air [Page 315] Guinea and Ghana Airways are going to begin service to Moscow via Tunisia and Switzerland.
Agreements Presently Deferred. The countries approached have de-ferred action on Moscow’s requests, perhaps influenced by uncertainty as to whether a Soviet-Sudanese agreement will be signed and US representations on the undesirability of Soviet bloc civil air expansion in Africa. Sudan, Chad, and Niger have expressed surprise at US concern and a Libyan official has implied to Embassy Benghazi that if some African countries admit Soviet air service, others cannot long refuse.
Soviet Officials Exploit Sense of Nationalism. Undoubtedly aware of Western efforts to interdict, the USSR is making quiet, matter-of-fact approaches, taking the line that air agreements with foreign powers are a normal concomitant of sovereignty. Soviet officials incorrectly assured Chad that Niger had already agreed to Aeroflot rights through Niamey. The Sudanese, furthermore, were at first misled into thinking that Soviet air agreements with Nigeria and Liberia had been virtually concluded.
- Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Meetings and Memoranda Series, NSC/Standing Group Meetings, 5/1/62-5/17/62. Secret. Sent through the Executive Secretariat. A handwritten note in the margin in an unknown hand indicates that copies were sent to Kaysen, Dungan, Klein, and Komer.↩