986A.524/5–2250

The American Embassy to the Saudi Arabian Foreign Office 1

top secret

Aide-Mémoire

The American Ambassador stated he was authorized by his Government, in making a request for the temporary extension of the Dhahran Airfield Agreement, to explain that despite every effort on the part of the United States Government to be prepared to discuss the Military Aid Program to Saudi Arabia coincident with the opening of new negotiations for a long-term Dhahran Airfield Agreement it had not been possible to arrive at that objective prior to the date of expiration of the existing airfield agreement.

The Ambassador stated that a draft military aid program for 1950–51 had been submitted to the Bureau of the Budget on May 1 and that it was expected that the President would submit within [Page 1177] the next few days such legislation to the Congress. This procedure is the required one in the United States for obtaining necessary legislative authority from the Congress to provide United States Government procurement assistance on a reimbursable basis.

The Ambassador recalled that in the light of statements made on the occasion of the recent visits to Saudi Arabia of Assistant Secretary of State McGhee and General J. Lawton Collins, regarding military aid, and in the light of the fact that the Congress has not yet had an opportunity to consider the new military aid program legislation, the Department of State is of the opinion that the best means of meeting these circumstances is by a request for a temporary extension of the present Dhahran Airfield Agreement by an exchange of letters2 with the expression of an intention on the part of the United States Government to open negotiations for a more inclusive agreement as soon as circumstances may permit.

The Ambassador stated that he had been authorized to indicate the Department of State would be willing insofar as it can to assist the Saudi Arabian Government in the commercial procurement of such interim supplies as are available in the open market. He has been requested to point out however, that except for urgent items the Saudi Arabian Government would undoubtedly consider it desirable to await the final Defense Department and Joint Chiefs of Staff recommendations regarding the O’Keefe Report before initiating a procurement program.

In that connection the Ambassador said he had been authorized to inform the Saudi Arabian Government that consideration of the O’Keefe Report actively continues by the Department of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Finally, the Ambassador stated that his Government wished to assure the Saudi Arabian Government that when the necessary legislation has been enacted containing the necessary authorization to extend reimbursable aid and when the Department of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff’s recommendations on the basis of the O’Keefe Report are known, His Majesty will be consulted in advance of the definitive formulation of plans in the above regard by the United States Government.

  1. Childs delivered the aide-mémoire, together with a note making a formal request for the extension of Dhahran Airfield Agreement to February 1, 1951, to Yassin at the Saudi Arabian Foreign Office. He transmitted the aide-mémoire and note to the Department in despatch 300, May 22, from Jidda. (986A.524/5–2250)
  2. An answer from the Saudi Arabian Foreign Office, dated June 17, agreed to extend the Agreement until the following February. The original Saudi Arabian note, a translation, and an affidavit verifying the translation were transmitted to the Department of State as enclosures to despatch 368, June 21, from Jidda, none printed. (986A.524/6–2150)