Office of the Historian

92. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Tripoli, Libya0

Washington, August 25, 1961, 9:09 p.m.

67. In view possibility present Bizerte debate might stimulate adverse public comment re Wheelus Air Base we feel Ambassador might find it useful have available for use at his discretion statement for public release setting forth mission of Wheelus, giving convincing justification for its use by USAF and underlining fact that US tenure has agreement of GOL (unlike French tenure of Bizerte base). We hope statement would counter criticisms that Wheelus might be used for military action against Libya and would draw Soviet fire on Libya in event of war. Following is suggested draft text on which your comments requested:

“As is well known, the USAF uses Wheelus Air Base and certain other agreed areas in Libya under the terms of an agreement concluded between the Libyan and U.S. Governments in 1954.1 This agreement was based upon the conviction of the two sovereign governments that the cooperation envisaged in the agreement would contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security within the framework of the Charter of the United Nations. The agreement was freely entered into by both parties and has since been carried out in close cooperation and consultation. Satisfaction with the arrangements made was reaffirmed by the two governments during discussions held in 1960.2

“The activities of the Base are fully consistent with the sovereignty and security of the Libyan people and government. The mission of Wheelus is to provide training facilities for U.S. Air Force personnel: Wheelus enjoys climatic and physical advantages which greatly facilitate the task of providing USAF personnel stationed nearby with the training necessary to maintain efficient performance. The Base also provides servicing and refueling facilities for U.S. aircraft in transit through the area. In this regard, Wheelus has played an important role over the past year in supporting UN flights to the Congo.”

Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 773.56311/8-2561. Secret. Drafted by Post (AF) and Junkermann (DOD); cleared by MacKnight, Newman, and Kilduff; and approved by Witman. Also sent to Benghazi.↩
  2. For text of the 1954 base rights agreement, see 5 UST (Pt. 3) 2449. For documentation on the base negotiations, see Foreign Relations, 1952–1954, vol. XI, pp. 575–597.↩
  3. For documentation on the U.S.-Libyan discussions during 1960, see ibid., 1958–1960, vol. XIII, pp. 735–755.↩