50. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security
Affairs (Scowcroft) to
President Ford1
2
Washington, June 7, 1976
SUBJECT:
- Waiver of Security Assistance Ceiling for African Countries
Deputy Secretary of State Robinson
(Tab B) has recommended that you make a Determination under Section
33(b) of the Foreign Military Sales Act to waive the $40 million ceiling
on the total amount of security assistance (excluding training) for
African countries in fiscal year 1976. You issued a similar waiver last
year.
Pursuant to your budget decisions, the proposed FY 76 security assistance
and credit program for Africa is about $98 million, including $86
million in FMS credits and $12 million
in grants. Seven countries receive assistance: Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya,
Liberia, Zaire, Morocco and Tunisia.
In light of recent Soviet/Cuban intervention in Angola, continuing Soviet
arms supplies to Somalia, Libya, Algeria and Uganda, and expanding
Soviet military presence in Somalia, there is an increasing need for us
to demonstrate to moderate African regimes our support for their efforts
to strengthen national security. This increased need for assistance has
coincided with a decrease of about 50 percent in the purchasing power of
the dollar since Congress enacted the $40 million ceiling in 1967.
Accordingly, I believe the waiver of the $40 million ceiling is needed to
allow the U.S. to respond adequately to the security needs of our
friends in Africa and to promote our interests in this area of important
political and strategic interest to the United States.
[Page 2]
We anticipate no significant Congressional opposition to waiver of the
ceiling.
Publication in the Federal Register of a waiver under Section 33(b) is
required unless such publication “would be harmful to the national
security of the United States.” In this case, I believe no such harm
would arise from such publication.
The Presidential Determination at Tab A for your signature is of the
proper form to give effect to the recommended waiver.
RECOMMENDATION
That you sign the Presidential Determination at Tab A.
Jim Lynn (Tab C) and Max Friedersdorf concur, as does Jack Marsh.
[Page 3]
Presidential Determination No. 76–18
Washington, June 9, 1976
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
SUBJECT: Waiver of the Limitation of Section 33 of the Foreign
Military Sales Act, as amended, on the Aggregate of Military
Assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, and of the
total Credits and Loans Guaranteed under the Foreign Military Sales
Act, as amended, for African Countries in Fiscal Year 1976.
Pursuant to the authority vested in me by Section 33(b) of the
Foreign Military Sales Act, as amended, I hereby determine that the
waiver of the limitations of Section 33(a) of the Foreign Military
Sales Act, as amended, for fiscal year 1976 is important to the
security of the United States.
You are requested, on my behalf, promptly to report this
determination to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, as required by
Law.
This determination shall be published in The
Federal Register.
[Page 4]
JUSTIFICATION FOR PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION WAIVING THE $40
MILLION CEILING ON TOTAL MILITARY ASSISTANCE, CREDITS, AND
GUARANTEED LOANS TO AFRICAN COUNTRIES UNDER SECTION 33 OF THE
FOREIGN MILITARY SALES ACT, AS AMENDED.
Since 1967 when Congress established the $40 million ceiling for
military assistance to African countries, inflationary trends
have accelerated. In that time, the purchasing power of the
dollar has declined by about 45%. The constraint of the ceiling
has markedly lessened our ability to respond to situations in
Africa, which affect U.S. national interests. Since that time
there also have been significant changes in the security
situations in Africa. Large deliveries of Soviet arms to Angola,
Congo (Brazzaville), Libya, Algeria, Somalia and Uganda and the
presense of a Soviet base in Somalia have altered the military
balance in several African regions.
The recent Soviet/Cuban intervention in Angola and the continued
influx of Soviet arms into Congo (Brazzaville) Gabon. Several
strategically located African countries, where we have mutually
benefical relations, are affected by these growing military
imbalances. Morocco and Tunisia occupy strategic positions along
the southern shore of the Mediterranean. In addition, the U.S.
Navy operates a communications station at Kenitra, Morocco.
Tunisia is a moderate Arabic voice, much in contrast with its
neighbor Libya. It is the only country on the southern
Mediterranean littorial which offers regular access to its ports
for units of the U.S. Sixth Fleet. Ethiopia is important to the
U.S. for its strategic location in the Horn of Africa, near the
Middle East oil fields and Indian Ocean oil routes and on the
Red Sea passage to the Mediterranean. The U.S. is interested in
maintaining its friendly relations with Ethiopia and stability
in the region in the face of the Soviet Union’s influence in
neighboring Somalia. Kenya is threatened by Somalia and Uganda
and its military forces are totally outclassed by these
Soviet-equipped neighbors. Kenya is one of the very few
countries on the east coast of Africa which allows port calls by
U.S. naval vessels.
Proposed programs in these six countries, plus a small Liberian
program, come to an agregate total of about $98 million, not
including grant training. Of this amount, about $86 million
would consist of foreign military sales financing. The waiver of
the $40 million dollar ceiling enables the U.S. Government to
respond to these requests and promote U.S. interests in areas
which are politically and strategically important to the
U.S.
