129. Memorandum From Acting Secretary of State Christopher to President Carter1
[Omitted here is material unrelated to Libya.]
5. Libyans Fail to Depart. In a response today to our note of Friday2 expelling four Libyan diplomats, the Libyan People’s Bureau argued that the four are not diplomats but private citizens, and that they do not plan to leave. We replied that their behavior had been unacceptable and that we would now be obliged to revoke their visas, effective today. We made it clear to the Libyan representative that we still desire good relations with Tripoli and would prefer that the four leave voluntarily. If they do not leave by tomorrow afternoon, however, we will escort them to the airport for the next available flight out of the country.3
[Omitted here is material unrelated to Libya.]
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 23, Evening Reports (State): 5/80. Secret. Carter initialed the memorandum and wrote “Warren” and “Where is appointment of Griffin Bell?” in the upper right-hand corner.↩
- May 2. See Document 128.↩
- Carter wrote “ok” in the left-hand margin. In a May 6 memorandum to Carter, Christopher wrote: “The four members of the Libyan mission whom we ordered expelled remain in the mission here. State Department and FBI representatives went to the mission tonight, and informed the mission authorities that the four are required to leave the US; and that we will not alter this decision.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Subject File, Box 23, Evening Reports (State): 5/80)↩