WASHINGTON EM BA.JADA DE ESPANA Translation The Head of the State and Commander in Chief of the National Armies. Personal. Palacio de El Pardo .. 30 January 1967 ~ His Excellency, Lyndon B. Johnson President of the Unit~d States of America My Dear President Johnson: Please forgive me for retaining your attention for a few moments, but I trust that the importance of what I have to say will justify my writing directly ­to Your Excellency. The publicity which is being given in Morocco to the announced visit of His Majesty the King to ~he United States and the fact that among the Ministers ­accompanying him will be the Minister for Mauritanian and Saharan affairs, coincides with a campaign of ex­pansionist claims on the territories of her neighbours -Algeria, Mauritania and Spain -and reveals Morocco's intentions to exploit the King's visit to the United ­States to attempt to present the United States as being' implicated in her aspirations. I have therefore thoug1t: it best to forewarn you of this possibility; firs~ly, ~ because none of the parties affected are ready to cede their rights, and in our case the Spanish right 0£ so­vereignity is clear as is the firm and repeatedly evi­denced loyalty of the people of the Sahara -about 26.000 inhabitants -; and secondly, because this spar­cely populated territory has a very marked geo-strate­gic importance as it includes an extensive portion of the African coast immediatly adjacent to the clearly Spanish Canary Islands, which are a center of world -­sea-routes, and which Spain has for centuries develop­ed and defended.. Among the objectives publicized in Morocco for this visit is that of asking the American Administra- DECLASSIFIED .I .. Authority ffQJ.~ ft<{-{,~ "'1 f·f'2.~2t>~ B. ~ . r ARA. Da 'K"'1..-0I -2 ­ EMBAJADA DE ESPANA WASHINGTON tion for a larger economic and military aid. While I find their economic interest legitimate and very con venient for the peace, development and internal sta­bility of their country, in which we are truly inte­rested, such is not the case with respect to milita­ry-aid. The America n Government is aware through our Repr;sentatives of the constant Spanish concern with respect to the increase of armaments taking place in North Africa with the general intention of threaten­ing peace and attempting to satisfy imperialist arnbi tions in conflict with neighbouring countries. But no one is threatening the integrity of Morocco's fron tiers; she already has sufficient weapons for her de fence and for her internal peace and security; and Spain, who only a few years ago underwent the agres­sion of supposedly spontaneous bands 'Which Morocco utilized to break the peace in the territories of IX ni and Sahara, now feels alarmed by Morocco's attempt to secure more arms at a time in which she is stir­ring up bellicose feelings in her inhabitants. It is really incongrous that when Morocco's economic need is at its greatest she should wish to devote to mili­tary expenses amounts far in excess of her means in the hope that another country will finance them. I have wished Your Excellency to be acquainted with this concern, in order to avoid the possibility that, in the light of an apparent neutrality, and heeding a supposed need for self-defence which has been ably and artificially contrived, your Administra tion might err on the side of generosity in this mili tary aspect.. ' Due to my great confidence in your judgement and fairness, I feel satisfied in having made this known to you. At these moments, when the United States is going through a great sorrow at the loss of her heroic as­tronauts, I wish to express to you the solidarity and appreciation that this sacrifice has inspired through­out all the Spanish nation. May I avail myself of this opportunity to rei­terate to you my highest consideration and affection. I remain, Your Excellency's good friend