Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXIV, Africa

96. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson¹

Washington, April 11, 1968, 4:35 p.m.

SUBJECT

• Visit for the Libyan Prime Minister

We have had in mind for several months your inviting the new Libyan Prime Minister. He has indicated his intention to visit the US soon but has not decided between late May or September–October.

Don Hornig, after his return from Libya, strongly recommended that you invite Bakkush, and Nick Katzenbach formally seconds that recommendation. State could work out an impressive program for him with our oil companies working in Libya and universities doing archeological work there. You would need only the minimum for him in Washington—a short office chat and a small working lunch for about 10 people. He speaks English well and has an interesting story to tell about Libya’s rapid modernization.

Bakkush is important because he is the first Libyan Prime Minister from the younger generation. His appointment could begin to divert into constructive enterprise the growing dissatisfaction of Libya’s younger, technically competent men. You’ll remember the Shah’s story about how the young hotheads of the early 1960’s are now in the government working for the Shah’s various programs. If the same could happen in Libya, it might be the step that saves Libya from radical takeover when the old king dies.

You will recall also Bakkush’s highly constructive statement, which I sent you yesterday, on your address to the nation a week ago Sunday.

Nick Katzenbach suggests (attached)² that you invite him for a small working lunch on May 29, but any other date about that time would be equally good. Jim Jones is holding open the entire week May 27–31 for a possible long Memorial Day weekend. Your schedule, however, would permit an office visit and working lunch on Wednesday, May 22.

If you would prefer not to add anything to your spring schedule, we could schedule him in the early fall now that you have given us a go-ahead to develop a fall visit schedule. Even if you approved a spring date, we aren’t entirely sure he could come on the exact date proposed, so we would wish to offer a fall date as an alternative anyway.

May we have your preference among these choices:

1. Invite him to short office talk and small working lunch on May 22. If he can’t come then, invite him for September or October, exact date to be set later³

2. Disapprove May visit, but invite him for September or October, exact date to be set later⁴

3. Disapprove visit for time being

Walt

1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Libya, Proposed Visit of PM Bakkush, 9/25–26/68. Confidential.
2. Not attached.
3. A handwritten note on the source text reads: “No in May. Yes in Sept or Oct”
4. President Johnson checked this option.