Office of the Historian

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

Washington, January 26, 1965, 7:16 p.m.

386. Joint State/AID message. Department and AID have conducted review current African AID programs for purpose determining those projects for which US approval could be conveyed to governments concerned immediately or favorable approval probable within next 60 days. Purpose of so informing governments would be to achieve political impact by accelerating timing of notification. Review identified those projects which were sufficiently far along in AID processing to accelerate notification.

The projects for Morocco follow:

A. Immediate Announcement

1.
Nouasseur Air Base Conversion.—Advise GOM that AID is willing to increase the $2.3 million loan authorization for Nouasseur Air [Page 169] Base conversion (amount to be determined) as soon as cost estimates, plans and specifications for an expanded project have been submitted by the GOM and expeditiously reviewed by AID.
2.
Port of Casablanca.—Advise the GOM that we are prepared to finance a feasibility study to determine the requirements for expansion of the facilities of Casablanca Port.

B. Announcement within 60 Days

1.
Phosphate Mining Equipment (provided, question of competition with domestic producers is resolved favorably)
2.
Action on P.L. 480, Title I sale request (wheat and oil)
3.
Approval of Title II Food for Work and Livestock Grain grants.

Intention of this review is that government concerned be informed at a time considered politically desirable by our Missions and Department (presumably soon in most cases). As appropriate, announcement of US approval of these projects could be timed, or used indirectly to gain support (or to show appreciation for past support) for the US position re current political problems.

Your views requested on how and when this information could be transmitted to GOM with maximum advantage to US.

Department/AID is also continuing to examine new projects or projects that can be accelerated in order to gain political benefits in future.

Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, AID (US) MOR. Confidential. Drafted by Chase in AF/AFN and Kling in AF/AFI, cleared by Hinman and Nelson in AID/AFR, and approved by Blake in AF/AFN.↩