Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XVII, Part 3, North Africa

73. Memorandum From James Rentschler of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)¹

Washington, October 18, 1979

SUBJECT

• U.S. Delegation to 25th Anniversary of Algerian Revolution (November 1) (C)

You asked for my views on the question of your heading a U.S. delegation (or being the American representative) to the 25th Anniversary observance of the Algerian revolution on November 1. (C)

On reflection—and influenced to some extent by the frustrating press leakage on matters re North Africa²—I feel it would be useful for you to undertake such a trip. Positive factors:

—evidence of WH interest in Algeria and in continuing improvement of our bilateral relationship;

—renewal of President’s invitation to Chadli for a visit next summer;

—authoritative statement of our North African policy (whatever it may then be), coupled with some frank assertions of our interest in a stable Morocco along the lines you expressed during the last PRC.³ (C)

The stop in Algeria would obviously have to be balanced by a stop in Morocco, preferably after Algeria. The factors here are more ambiguous and would be conditioned by whether the President came down on Option 2 or Option 3⁴ (if the former, you could expect a reception that would be correct, verging on cool; if the latter, you’d find a much more hospitable monarch, and one readier to hear you out). In either case it would be a useful stop, and for essentially the same reasons as for Algeria (authoritative statement of our policy). At the same time, you could well be the one to communicate with the King, in the sense of getting him to tell us where he thinks he is going and what he sees down the road. The fact is, no one in our Government has really talked turkey with him on the implications of the present conflict. The chance of doing that is alone worth the trip . . . (C)

NB. As I indicated last evening, Newsom wants to sound out Duncan on going to Algeria November 1 and may have informally and noncommittally sounded him out. Do you want me to put a freeze on that?⁵ (C)

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 3, Algeria: 1/77–11/80. Confidential; Outside System. Sent for action. A notation at the top of the page reads: “cy to Rentschler, 10/19.”
2. Presumably the press accounts of the October 16 PRC meeting on U.S. arms sales to Morocco. See footnote 4, Document 47.
3. See Document 47.
4. See Document 49.
5. Brzezinski wrote “yes” below this paragraph.