Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The Near and Middle East, Volume IX, Part 1

Conference files, lot 59 D 95, CF 156

No. 53
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Political Officer at the Legation in Libya (Mak)¹

confidential
ST D–12

[Tripoli,] May 28, 1953.

Subject:

• Libya

Participants:

• United States
  • The Honorable John Foster Dulles, Secretary of State.
  • Mr. Harold Stassen, Director of Mutual Security Agency.
  • Mr. Henry S. Villard, Minister to Libya.
  • Mr. Dayton S. Mak, Political Officer, American Legation.
  • Mr. Mirwan Afifi, Arab Secretary, American Legation.
• Libya
  • Mahmoud Muntasser, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
  • Sayyed Suleiman Jerbi, Libyan Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

The Libyan Prime Minister opened the discussion by welcoming the Secretary and his party to Libya. He then presented the Libyan Government’s views on matters of political importance to Libya, which was followed by a statement of Libya’s need for economic (financial) assistance. The Prime Minister’s comments on political matters are embodied in the memorandum which he gave to the Secretary during the course of the meeting.²

The Prime Minister stated that he is hopeful that the United States financial contribution to Libya will be increased, pointing out that Libya is extremely poor and in great need of foreign assistance. Libya, he added, is an infant of the United Nations and consequently a child of the United States as well. The Prime Minister stated that Libya has a five million pound annual deficit which he hopes Britain and the United States, through mutual agreement, will cover. He pointed out that it will be seen from the budget figures, which are included in a memorandum given by the Prime Minister to Secretary Dulles, that the Libyan budget is primarily for “care and maintenance” and is not filled with items of extravagance and non-essentials. For example, Cyrenaica had practically no water and no electric power. It was necessary, of course, to remedy this, and in Tripolitania there are many things which must be done to improve living conditions.

It is essential, the Prime Minister stated, that Libya raise the standard of living of its people and create an economy that will not provide for the needs of the populace but will provide a bit more than the bare necessities of life. Last year, he pointed out, Cyrenaica suffered from a severe famine due to lack of rainfall. This year Tripolitania, particularly in the interior, received insufficient rainfall and will be threatened by a similar famine.

The Prime Minister then switched to the subject of Communism in Libya. Tripolitania, he pointed out, unlike Cyrenaica, has a considerable foreign population and there is a constant threat of Communist propaganda and activity. Tunis is the primary source of such propaganda. The Libyan Government has been well aware of the Communist threat and found it necessary to deport a number of Italian Communists. Libya, however, has been able to confine Communist activities in the country. The best way, however, to combat Communist propaganda is to improve the standard of living of the Libyan people and eliminate hunger. To do this, Libya requires the assistance of the United States. One of the main features of United States policy is to raise the standard of living of the peoples of the world. No country has greater need for raising the standard of living of its people than Libya.

Libya, the Prime Minister said, is very sincere in its desire to cooperate closely with the United States Government. Libya needs the cooperation and assistance of the United States even more than the United States needs the cooperation of Libya. Although you may hear rumors to the effect that Libya does not want to conclude an agreement (military) with the United States, he said, I tell you now emphatically that this is not true. On the contrary, he added, it is the desire of the Libyan Government and the Libyan people not only conclude an agreement with the United States but also to conclude such an agreement as quickly as possible.

The Prime Minister concluded his remarks by expressing his great appreciation for the assistance and cooperation he has received from Minister Villard and his staff, and Colonel Anthis (Commanding Officer of Wheelus Field) and his staff. He again thanked Secretary Dulles for including Libya in his Middle East tour.

Secretary Dulles thanked the Prime Minister for his comments and expressed his great satisfaction for being able to include Libya in his tour of the Middle East. He added that President Eisenhower is likewise gratified that the Secretary’s visit to Libya and the other countries of the Middle East was possible. This is evidence of the great importance that President Eisenhower places on the Middle East. At this point the Prime Minister interrupted to express the great respect and high regard of the Libyan people for President Eisenhower and his administration and he wished them the best of success.

The Secretary then expressed his great appreciation for the Libyan Government’s kind gesture in giving a piece of land upon which will be built a United States Legation building. The Prime Minister replied that the Libyan Government is very pleased to present this small gift to the American Government and he hoped to see Minister Villard soon living in the residence which is to be erected on the site. The Secretary then said he was happy that the Prime Minister appreciated the qualities of Minister Villard and pointed out that although Mr. Villard has on numerous occasions told the Libyans “No” to certain requests, this should not be taken as evidence of any lack of sympathy or understanding on his part of Libya’s problems or needs. Minister Villard, it should be remembered, is doing so on direct instructions from the United States Government, which can, at times, be rather hard-hearted.

The Secretary then referred to the Prime Minister’s statements regarding Libya’s need for additional financial assistance from the United States and pointed out that the United States itself is having financial difficulties of its own. The people of the United States, he added, are paying possibly the highest taxes in the world, and the United States Government’s budget is out of balance by a considerable amount. The American people hope and expect the new administration to reduce taxes and balance the budget. Already it is certain that the United States Government’s budget will be severely cut. The budget of the Department of State alone, will be cut approximately 30%. It is certain that Congress will examine carefully the United States foreign aid program. At the same time, the Secretary added, the United States will always want to deal fairly with her friends, of whom Libya is considered as one. The Secretary stated that the Prime Minister can be assured that the United States Government will examine carefully the contents of the two memoranda (political and economic) as well as the Libyan Government’s suggestions for revision of the United States Base Rights Agreement. He added that he, himself, did not come to Libya to negotiate the base agreement or any other agreement, but he assured the Prime Minister that those responsible for the negotiations will give their fair and prompt consideration. The Prime Minister then interrupted to say that the Libyans will do likewise. The Secretary stated that he accepted the Prime Minister’s assurance that the Libyans desire an agreement with the United States. The Prime Minister interrupted to say “and very quickly”.

The Secretary agreed that the United States needs Libya and that Libya needs the United States and the benefits which accrue to Libya as a result of the presence of the Americans. He added that formerly it was believed in every agreement between two parties, one would gain and one would lose. This is a bad principle and is neither true nor necessary. An agreement must be a mutually satisfactory arrangement. The Secretary said that undoubtedly the Prime Minister was aware that aside from the amount of direct economic aid, Libya benefits considerably from the expenditures of the United States forces here and is provided with considerable foreign exchange in this manner. With regard to Libya’s becoming a bridge between the West and the East, the Secretary stated, it is fortunate that there is such a country in the Middle East as Libya, whose leaders appreciate both the views of the East and the West.

The Secretary then pointed out that his visit is the first such visit of an American Secretary of State to the Middle East and it is evidence of President Eisenhower’s realization of the importance of that area. He added that the situation in the Middle East is full of problems and even dangers. He suggested that all persons of authority in the Middle East must use their influence to prevent any conflagration over such issues as the UK-Egyptian dispute over the Suez Canal Zone.

The Secretary then presented a letter from President Eisenhower addressed to King Idris I, after which he thanked the Prime Minister for the kind reception given him and his party by the Libyan Government. He pointed out that he and Mrs. Dulles are delighted with Tripoli and wish they could stay longer.

The Prime Minister stated that Libya appreciates the heavy burden on the United States tax payers and the general burden which has fallen on the shoulders of the American people. He added, however, that the amount of money which Libya is asking from the United States is very little in comparison to the other outlays made by the United States to other countries. Although the sum asked by Libya is little, the United States Government as the donor will benefit greatly by the gift as will the West in general. Libya, he stated, is in the heart of the Mediterranean, and has a coastline of some two thousand kilometers. In case of war Libya can become a door or a dam with respect to the East. It is a bridge to Western North Africa and to the other countries in West Africa. This, however, is from the material point of view. From the moral point of view—if the Libyans have a good standard of living they will help create stability in the world, which is essential at this time.

1. This conversation took place at the office of the Prime Minister.
2. Not printed; it asked the U.S. Government to reconsider the temporary military agreement concluded between Libya and the United States in December 1951. The provisions Libya wanted to renegotiate concerned the duration of the agreement and the sum allocated to Libyan assistance. (Conference files, lot 59 D 95, CF 156) For documentation on the negotiations for the temporary agreement, see Foreign Relations, 1951, vol. v, pp. 1313 ff.