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7007
SECRET
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
WASHINGTON
30 JAN 1970
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
SUBJECT: US Policy Toward Spain
The purpose of this memorandum is to state the Defense Department
position on retention of the current US military base rights and
facilities in Spain. A detailed discussion of the facilities and
their uses, as well as the interdepartmental issues involved in
this matter, has been presented to you in a separate memorandum pre-
pared under the auspices of the NSC Review Group.
There are compelling reasons for retaining as much of our current
arrangement with Spain as we can. These are supported by exhaustive
studies of our military presence in Spain. We have concluded that,
given our existing strategies for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa,
the supporting role of our facilities in Spain is vital. We must
either keep our base rights and facilities in Spain or replace the
capability elsewhere in the area. It is true that certain of our
activities in Spain do not have to continue to be performed from
Spanish soil. However, we could not duplicate the quality of our
Spanish facilities anywhere else in the area; further, relocation
would be expensive, time consuming, and dependent upon negotiations
with third countries, some of which may seek quid pro quo, e.g.,
Portugal.
It is argued that Spanish quid pro quo demands in exchange for con-
tinued US full use of the facilities would be impossible to meet.
This view tends to overlook the fact that the new Spanish government
has not made known its position on quid pro quo, and cannot be ex-
pected to do so until negotiations begin. While it may ultimately
prove necessary to reduce our presence in Spain, I believe that de-
cisions to do so should be made only if it becomes clear, in the
course of the negotiations, either that the Spanish Government is
insistent that we reduce, or that we cannot afford to pay their price
for maintenance of current rights and facilities.
In summary, given our current strategy, our investment in Spain, and
the considerable costs associated with relocation and/or the purchase
of additional forces, it appears strategically unwise and economically
unsound not to protect our current arrangements in Spain to the extent
possible. I, therefore, recommend that you select Option 1 as out-
lined in the NSC Review Group memorandum.
DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR Intervals;
DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS.
0518
DOD DIR 5200.10
SECRET
Sec Def Cont Nr. X-
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"ocrText": "7007\nSECRET\nTHE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE\nWASHINGTON\n30 JAN 1970\nMEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT\nSUBJECT: US Policy Toward Spain\nThe purpose of this memorandum is to state the Defense Department\nposition on retention of the current US military base rights and\nfacilities in Spain. A detailed discussion of the facilities and\ntheir uses, as well as the interdepartmental issues involved in\nthis matter, has been presented to you in a separate memorandum pre-\npared under the auspices of the NSC Review Group.\nThere are compelling reasons for retaining as much of our current\narrangement with Spain as we can. These are supported by exhaustive\nstudies of our military presence in Spain. We have concluded that,\ngiven our existing strategies for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa,\nthe supporting role of our facilities in Spain is vital. We must\neither keep our base rights and facilities in Spain or replace the\ncapability elsewhere in the area. It is true that certain of our\nactivities in Spain do not have to continue to be performed from\nSpanish soil. However, we could not duplicate the quality of our\nSpanish facilities anywhere else in the area; further, relocation\nwould be expensive, time consuming, and dependent upon negotiations\nwith third countries, some of which may seek quid pro quo, e.g.,\nPortugal.\nIt is argued that Spanish quid pro quo demands in exchange for con-\ntinued US full use of the facilities would be impossible to meet.\nThis view tends to overlook the fact that the new Spanish government\nhas not made known its position on quid pro quo, and cannot be ex-\npected to do so until negotiations begin. While it may ultimately\nprove necessary to reduce our presence in Spain, I believe that de-\ncisions to do so should be made only if it becomes clear, in the\ncourse of the negotiations, either that the Spanish Government is\ninsistent that we reduce, or that we cannot afford to pay their price\nfor maintenance of current rights and facilities.\nIn summary, given our current strategy, our investment in Spain, and\nthe considerable costs associated with relocation and/or the purchase\nof additional forces, it appears strategically unwise and economically\nunsound not to protect our current arrangements in Spain to the extent\npossible. I, therefore, recommend that you select Option 1 as out-\nlined in the NSC Review Group memorandum.\nDOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR Intervals;\nDECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARS.\n0518\nDOD DIR 5200.10\nSECRET\nSec Def Cont Nr. X-"
}