Office of the Historian

102. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Morocco1

Washington, March 27, 1964, 6:35 p.m.

1420. Ambassador Bengelloun returning Morocco for approximately two weeks consultation on March 30. Called at Dept to convey message thanks (copy pouched)2 from Guedira in response Gov. Williams’ message (Deptel 1361).3

Also sought info on removal AID suspension and was told by Dept (Tasca) that problem, which complicated administratively by question cobalt, is receiving our urgent attention but would take time.

Ambassador also pressed strongly for acceptance by Dept proposal he claims being advanced by Phillips Bros. to import for US stockpile Moroccan manganese, in return for US agricultural commodities to Brazil which would provide sugar to Morocco. Such stockpiling he stated now permitted for other countries, is of vital importance to Morocco, of humanitarian advantage to both Brazil and Morocco and would lessen latter’s dependence on Cuba for sugar.

Was told question had long been under consideration, manganese excess to our needs and of insufficient value to cover significant amounts sugar, but a further examination matter would be made on basis of which more definitive reply would be furnished.4

Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID (US) 15 MOR. Confidential. Drafted by McClintic in AF/AFN; cleared by Blake in AFN, Burati in AID, and Reed in E/ISM; and approved by Tasca.↩
  2. A memorandum of conversation, March 26, is ibid., POL 32–1 ALG–MOR.↩
  3. Telegram 1361 to Rabat, February 25, transmitted a message of congratulations from Assistant Secretary Williams on the preliminary peace accord between Morocco and Algeria. (Ibid., POL 15–1 MOR)↩
  4. Telegram 1440 to Rabat, April 16, informed the Embassy that the President had determined that it was in the national interest to continue aid to Morocco despite the Battle Act finding occasioned by Morocco’s shipment of cobalt ore to Communist China. (Ibid., STR 6–3 MOR)↩