INTENTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF LIBYAN REVOLUTIONARY COMMAND COUNCIL TOWARDS THE WEST, ARAB UNITY, AND THE GOVERNMENT OF LIBYA

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Fall of the Libyan Monarchy
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05833888
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: August 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2019
• Publication Date: October 30, 1969

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s maitariol .contains inforino ion affecting the Notional Defense of the United States within the meaning of tho Espionage laws, Title 18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the
nimissfor,�or revelation of which in any manner to on unauthorized person is prohibited by low,
THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE
ECRET
301723Z
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Culuded boo 4.14.44,44
tkwaired:A. 444 4.44.141.444.
DIST 30 OCTOBER 1969
� COUNTRY: LIBYAN ARAB REPUBLIC/UNITED KINGDOM/ARAB STATES
-SUBJECT: INTENTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF LIBYAN REVOLUTIONARY COMMAND
COUNCIL TOWARDS THE WEST, ARAB UNITY, AND THE GOVERNMENT
OF LIBYA
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SUMMARY:
THE REVOLUTIONARY COMMAND COUNCIL WILL ADHERE TO ITS
TREATY OBLIGATIONS REGARDING WHEELuS AIR BASE, WILL CONTINUE TO
OBTAIN MILITARY SUPPLIES, EQUIPMENT WAND TRAINING FROM THE WEST;
"WILL NOT TOUCH AMERICAN OIL COMPANIES," AND WILL COOPERATE
POLITICALLY, ECONOMICALLY AND MILITARILY WITH THE ARAB STATES
BUT WILL NOT INTEGRATE WITH THEM. THE RCC PLANS To MAKE TRIPOLI
THE CAPITAL OF LIBYA AND INTENDS TO CHANGE VIRTUALLY ALL THE
INCUMBENTS OF TOP POSITIONS IN THE GOVERNMENT AND MOST OF
LIBYAN AMBASSADORS AND THEIR STAFFS. THE RCe IS NOT AWARE OF ANY
!ERIOUS OPPOSITION IN LIBYA TO THE REGIME, E
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THE RCC IS PLANNING TO PLACE
MILITARY FORCES AT WHEELUS AIR BASE AND TO OPERATE THE BASE
,.�AS A LIBYAN MILITARY FACILITY. THE RCC BELIEVES IT CAN STATION
SOME FIVE OR SIX ,THOUSAND ARMY AND AIR FORCE TROOPS AT. WHEEL US
-WHICH WILL. BECOME THE CENTRAL LIBYAN MILITARY INSTALLATION.
HOWEVER .1:.THE COUNCIL REALIZES THAT THE �OPERATION OF SUCH AN
ESTABLISHMENT IS A COMPLEX TASK AND BELIEVES.THAT_CONVERSION �
OF THE BASE TO AiLIBYAVONE pHoilLp RESULT Too_pippiLy_TRosFER
OF FUNCTIONS FROM THE AMERICANS TO THE LIBYANS. ,THIS PROCESS,
IRRESPECTIVE OF THE PUBLICITY, WILL TAKE TIME AND THE RCC.STILL
....PLANS TO -ADHERE TO ITS TREATY, OBLIGATIONS 'WITH RESPECT TO THE
TIMING OF THE WHEELUS PHASEOUT.
3. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY RCC PRESIDENT
COLONEL MU' AMMAR AL- QADHAFI NJ HIS TRIPOLI SPEECH ON
16 OCTOBER 1969 REGARDING WHEELUS AIR BASE DO NOT REPRESENT THE
VIEWS OF THE ENTIRE RCC, AND HIS SPEECH WAS NOT CLEARED IN ADVANCE
71-ep78-C-el4E-T.
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, BY THE COUNCIL: FURTHER, THE EDITORIAL IN THE 21,0CTOBER.ISia
OF THE LIBYAN GOVERNMENT-OWNED ARABIC DAILY "AL-THAWRA" WAS NOT �
APPROVED BY THE, RCC BEFORE IT APPEARED. THIS EDITORIAL WAS PRE-
PARED BY THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE AND WAS PUBLISHED ON HIS
AUTHORITY. MANY MEMBERS OF THE RCC ARE STRONGLY OPPOSED TO THE
.KIND �OF INVECTIVE AND DISTORTED REASONING CONTAINED IN THIS
.EuppIAL AND ARE ASHAMED OF THE IN.sULT TO LIBYA'S WESTERN
FRIENDS. THESE MEMBERS OF THE RCC PALN TO TAKE STEPS TO PREVENT
FURTHER NEEDLESS .INFLAMMATION OF LIBYA'S RELATIONS WITH THE
WESTERN COUNTRIES.
THE RCC HAS REJECTED ALL PROPOSALS
THAT LIBYA STANDARDIZE ITS MILITARY SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT WITH
LHOSE Of THE UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC (UAH)... THE RCC WILL CONTINUE TO
EEK EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND TRAINING FROM PREVIOUS (I.E., WESTERN)
;OURCES. SPECIFICALLY, THE LIBYAN ARMY WILL CONTINUE TO PURCHASE
, ,
ANKS AND BA.SIC MIL,ITARY EQUIPMENT FROM 3HE BRITISH. HOWEVER, SUCH
TEMS AS SOPHISTICATED MISSILE SYSTEMS, RADAR, AND OTHER "FRILLS"'
ILL NOT BE PURCHASED
AND ALL CONTRACTS FOR THESE ITEMS WILL BE
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CANCELLED.
THE SUBJECT OF WESTERN OIL COMPANIES,
THERCC "WILL NOT TOUCH THE AMERICAN OIL COMPANIES."
TRIPOLI RADIO BROADCAST ON 28 OCTOBER THAT THE COUNCIL
OF 'MINISTERS HAD ISSUED AN ORDER CANCELLING THE PARTNERSHIP AGREE-
MENT BETWEEN THE LIBYAN PETROLEUM COMPANY (LIPETCO) AND THE
CHAPPAQUA tIL COMPANY BECAUSE OF THE COMPANY'S "LACK OF PROPER
QUALIFICATIONS" AND FOR OTHER .REASONS.)
ARAB UNITY
.6. THE RCC'S INTENTIONS WITH RESPECT
TO ARAB UNITY ARE LIMITED AND NARROW. DESPITE PUBLIC SLOGANS AND
PROPAGANDA TO THE CONTRARY, THE RCC IS NOT THINKING IN TERMS OF
ANY DEGREE IN qINTEGRATION. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE_Rpp_DOES.WISH..
TO ENCOURAGE AND TO FACILITATE POLITICAL, MILITARY AND ECONOMIC
COOPERATION. WHERE LIBYA HAS POTENTIAL INTERESTS AND OBLIGATIONS__ .
/N COMMON WITH OTHER 'ARAB STATES, THESE INTERESTS WILL BE PUOUED
AND OBLIGATIONS WILL BE MET. WHEN LIBYA CAN PROFITABLY TRADE WITH
OTHER ARAB STATES, PREFERENCE WILL BE GIVEN TO SUCH TRADE. WHEN
LIBYA' CAN CONTRIBUTE MILITARILY TO THE ARAB CAUSE, SHE WILL DO SM.
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7, THE RcC CONSIDERS UNION WITH THE UAR TOTALLY OUT OF THE
QUESTION AND SUCH A MEASURE IS NOT EVEN BEING DISCUSSED BY THE RCC.
.LIBYAN GOVERNMENT --
)RAFTING_OF THE NEW _CONSTITUTION FOR.
LIBYA IS COMPLETE EXCEPT. FOR pRoyisioNs DEALING WITH THE PRECISE
MAKEUP OF THE NEW NATIONAL FLAG.. IN THE NEW FLAG, THE COLOR BL C
WILL NOT APPEAR.
IIITHE OURRE NTCONFLICT OVER THE FLAG RELATES TO: WHETHER OR..
..NOT IT SHOULD CONTAIN STARS. WHEN THIS, ISSUE IS. RESOLVED, .THE NEW
.CONSTITUTION WILL BE ANNOUNCED. SOME PROVISIONS OF THE NEW CON-
STITUTIONAR4
A. TRIPOLI WILL BE THE CAPITAL OF LIBYA AND THE SEAT OF
GOVERNMENT;
B. .AL�L-.PoL.ITICAL PARTIES .WILL BE BANNED,
tHE CONSTITUTION WAS DRAFTED ENTIRELY BY. THE'RCC AND NO CIVILIANS..
tAVE. BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH. IT. .
P.
tL, OF THE cpRik APPOINTMENTS TO TOP POSITIONS IN THE CIVILIAN
OVERNMENT4 INCLUDING THE PREMIERSHIP
THE RC.0 CONSIDERS ALL, OR. VIRTUALLY
TEMPORARY.
THE RCC IS
1E.SENTLY�PREPARING A �NE4i- SLATE OF APPOINTEES .WHICH WILL INCLUDE,'
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THE NAMES OF MANY INFLUENTIAL LIBYANS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY REFUSED
, . .
TO ACCEPT APPOINTMENTS BECAUSE OF THE EXTREMIST D-
ING MEMBERS OF THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT.
THE RCC WANTS TO WIDEN THE BASE OF THE CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT AND
INCREASE ITS POPULARITY THROUGH A DRAMATIC CHANGE IN ITS COMPOSITION.
HENCE, THE RCC IS PRESENTLY DISCUSSING THE NEW SLATE WITH INTENDED
CANDIDATES IN HOPES THAT THESE WILL CHANGE THEIR MINDS AND JOIN THE.
NEW GOVERNMENT AFTER .THEY LEARN WHO THE NEW TOP LEADERSHIP WILL BE,
10
THE RCC IS PRESENTLY PREPARING A SLATE
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OF NEW AMBASSADORIAL APPOINTMENTS WHICH WILL INVOLVE THE RECALL
. . ,
OF MOST OF THE AMBASSADORS APPOINTED BEFORE THE REVOLUTION THE
RCC ALSO PLANS TO REPLACE
FOREIGN EMBASSIES.
11. FINALLY,
MOST OF" THE PRESENT STAFFS OF ITS
THE RCC IS ,NOT AWARE OF
� ANY SERIOUS OPPOSITION ANYWHERE IN LIBYA. THERE HAS BEEN NO
TROUBLE OF ANY SIGNIFICANCE IN -CYRENAICA; IF ANYTHING, CYRENAICA
IS MORE PEACEFUL AND NORMAL THAN TRIPOLITANIA_
12..
-IZEP-OR-T-CLASS-66GRE4
T-49P-8C-C7-RE-T-'
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