TKFU01: POSSIBLE U.S.-SAUDI AGREEMENT ON U.S.

S E C R E T RIYADH 06309 E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL SA US SUBJECT: TKFU01: POSSIBLE U.S.-SAUDI AGREEMENT ON U.S. FORCES IN SAUDI ARABIA REF: JEDDAH 1792 ¶1. (SECRET - ENTIRE TEXT). ¶2. WHILE AMBASSADOR WAS IN THE AIR BETWEEN JEDDAH TO RIYADH, A VERY TIRED AND ANGRILY IMPATIENT FOREIGN MINISTER SAUD AL-FAISAL TELEPHONED DCM DUNFORD TO ASK WHERE THE WASHINGTON RESPONSE TO HIS REQUEST FOR AN URGENT AGREEMENT CONCERNING THE INTRODUCTION OF U.S. FORCES INTO SAUDI ARABIA WAS. ¶3. UPON AMBASSADOR'S RETURN TO RIYADH, HE SPOKE TO FOREIGN MINISTER BY TELEPHONE. BY THIS TIME, SAUD HAD BEEN BRIEFED BY HIS NEGOTIATING TEAM AND HAD SPOKEN BY TELEPHONE TO SAUDI ARABIA'S AMBASSADOR IN THE U.S., PRINCE BANDAR. SAUD SAID THAT SAUDI ARABIA REGARDED CONCLUSION OF AN AGREEMENT ALONG THE LINES HE HAD SUGGESTED IN HIS AUGUST 8 MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR AND UNDERSECRETARY WOLFOWITZ AS A MATTER OF GREAT IMPORTANCE AND URGENCY. HE SAID THAT HE HAD ASKED PRINCE BANDAR IMMEDIATELY TO IMPRESS THIS POINT UPON THE USG IN WASHINGTON. ¶4. SAUD SAID HE WAS LEAVING THIS EVENING FOR CAIRO, BUT EXPECTED TO RETURN TOMORROW, AUGUST 10. BY THAT TIME, HE SAID, HE HOPED WE WOULD HAVE AN AGREEMENT READY FOR SIGNATURE. ¶5. DEPARTMENT PLEASE REPEAT TO JEDDAH. FREEMAN