Office of the Historian

7. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Algeria0

Washington, October 14, 1963, 7:17 p.m.

601. Department anxious that fighting which has broken out on Moroccan southeastern border be quickly brought to an end.

[Page 12]

On October 12 Balafrej in Washington briefly for Moroccan Embassy social function expressed only general uneasiness over Algerian response to what he claimed were Moroccan attempts to settle border disputes by negotiations. His attitude indicated he clearly did not expect fighting on any significant scale. Dept reps expressed belief future solution to border problems would be undermined by pressing question at time when Algerian internal situation unsettled and any effort force settlement could push Algeria further to left.

Addressee posts are requested to make every effort provide full information this situation as viewed locally as well as report initiatives likely to halt fighting.

Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 32-1 ALG-MOR. Confidential. Drafted by McClintic and approved by Newsom. Also sent to Rabat, Paris, and Tunis.↩