League of Arab States Mission in Washington D.C. -  USA
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U.S. - Arab League Relations

The Arab League Mission to the U.S. plays an important role in facilitating the relationship between the U.S. and the Arab League. The two parties have a long history of collaborating on foreign policy decisions in the region. While their interests aren't always aligned, relations between the U.S. and the Arab League have lead to coordination between the Arab League and NATO forces in response to bloodshed in Libya.
The Arab League pulls support on NATO strike



Brookings Center

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What Does the American Public Think of the Arab Awakening?

Full poll results


James Zogby

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New Poll on American Attitudes Toward the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Full poll resu.ts

U.S Arab Chamber of Commerce
U.S Arab Trade




Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Legation in Egypt, 1922. Diplomatic relations were established on April 26, 1922, upon American recognition of Egyptian independence. American Diplomatic Agent and Consul General at Cairo, J. Morton Howell, had conducted unofficial relations with Egypt as a “semi-independent state” prior to this date, as had been U.S. practice since 1849. Upon recognition, Howell served as the American diplomatic representative to Egypt, and the position of Diplomatic Agent was raised to the rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary on June 24, 1922, thereby establishing the American Legation in Egypt.

Algeria

Diplomatic Relations Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Embassy at Algiers, 1962. Diplomatic relations and the American Embassy at Algiers were established on September 29, 1962, when Algerian agreed to the elevation of the American Consulate General to Embassy status, with William J. Porter as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.

Diplomatic Relations Severed by Algeria, 1967.
Algeria severed diplomatic relations with the United States on June 6, 1967, in the wake of the June 1967 Arab-Israeli War. A U.S. Interests Section was established in the Swiss Embassy.

Diplomatic Relations Reestablished and Embassy Reopened, 1974.
The United States and Algeria reestablished diplomatic relations, and their respective embassies in Algiers and Washington reopened on November 12, 1974.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Algeria
  • Department of State Country Information: Algeria
  • Irwin, Ray W. The Diplomatic Relations of the United States with the Barbary Powers 1776-1816. . Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1931.
  • Malloy, William M., comp. Compilation of Treaties in Force. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1904.
BAHRAIN

Establishment of Diplomatic Relationsand the American Embassy in Bahrain, 1971. Embassy Manama was opened on September 21, 1971, with John N. Gatch, Jr. as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim. Ambassador William A. Soltzfus, Jr. presented credentials to the government of Bahrain on February 17, 1972 and was resident at Kuwait for the duration of his posting.

Installation of American Ambassador at Manama, 1974. Ambassador Joseph W. Twinam presented credentials to the government of Bahrain on June 10, 1974, and became the first American ambassador resident at Embassy Manama.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Bahrain
  • Department of State Country Information: Bahrain
  • CIA World Factbook: Bahrain

Comoros

Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, 1977. Diplomatic relations were established on August 15, 1977, when United States and the Comorian Republic issued a joint communiqué that announced the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The first American Charge d’Affaires ad interim to the Republic of the Comoros, Robert S. Barrett IV, presented his credentials to Foreign Minister Mouzawior Abdallah on August 16, 1977. Barrett was also Charge d’Affairs ad interim and resident at Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Establishment of the American Embassy in Comoros, 1985. The American Embassy at Moroni was established on August 26, 1985, with Edward Brynn as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.

Closure of the American Embassy in Comoros, 1993. The American Embassy at Moroni was closed on September 30, 1993. Subsequent American Ambassadors to Comoros also have been accredited to Mauritius, and resident at Port Louis.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Comoros
  • Department of State Country Information: Comoros
Djibouti

The United States recognized the Republic of Djibouti on June 27, 1977, in a congratulatory message from President Jimmy Carter to President Hassan Gouled Aptidon. The territory that became Djibouti previously had been under French sovereignty.

Diplomatic Relations Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Embassy in Djibouti, 1977. Diplomatic relations were established on June 27, 1977, when the American Consulate General to the former French Territory of Afars and Issas became the American Embassy at Djibouti, with Walter S. Clarke as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Djibouti
  • Department of State Country Information: Djibouti
EGYPT

Recognition U.S. Recognition of Egyptian Independence, 1922. The United States recognized Egypt’s independence on April 26, 1922, in a letter from President Warren G. Harding to King Ahmed Fuad, delivered by American Diplomatic Agent and Consul General at Cairo, J. Morton Howell. Egypt had been under British control as a protectorate.

Formation, Recognition, and Dissolution of the United Arab Republic, 1958-1961. Egypt and Syria united to form a new state, the United Arab Republic (UAR), on February 22, 1958. The United States recognized the UAR on February 25, 1958, when U.S. Ambassador Raymond Hare delivered a note to that effect to the UAR Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The UAR’s capital was established at Cairo, where the United States maintained its embassy, while the American Embassy in Damascus was reclassified as a Consulate General. Syria seceded from the Union in 1961; however, Egypt continued to be known officially as the "United Arab Republic" until 1971
.

Diplomatic Relations Severed by the United Arab Republic, 1967. The United Arab Republic severed diplomatic relations with the United States on June 6, 1967, in the wake of the June 1967 Arab-Israeli War.

Establishment of U.S. Interest Section in Cairo, 1967. A U.S. Interests Section was established in the Spanish Embassy in Cairo on June 7, 1967.

Re-establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Embassy in Egypt, 1974. The Governments of Egypt and the United States agreed to resume diplomatic relations on February 28, 1974, and the United States named Ambassador-designate Hermann F. Eilts in charge of the American Embassy in Cairo, which was reopened on the same date.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Egypt
  • Department of State Country Information: Egypt

    Jordan
U.S. Recognition of Jordanian Independence, 1949. The United States recognized the Kingdom of Transjordan as an independent state in a White House announcement on January 31, 1949. Transjordan had been a mandated territory placed under the protection of Great Britain following World War I, and had declared its independence with the agreement of Great Britain on May 25, 1946.

Diplomatic Relations Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Legation in Jordan, 1949. Diplomatic relations and the American Legation in Jordan were established on February 18, 1949 when Wells Stabler presented his credentials as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim at Amman.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Jordan
  • Department of State Country Information: Jordan

    Kuwait
U.S. Recognition of Kuwaiti Independence, 1961. On June 19, 1961, Kuwait became fully independent following an exchange of notes with the United Kingdom that terminated the Anglo-Kuwaiti Treaty of 1899 and therefore provided for Kuwaiti independence.

Despite the fact that Kuwait was technically still a British protectorate prior to June 1961, the Department of State noted in July 1961 that the United States had “for some time recognized Kuwait as a sovereign state as evidenced by U.S. consular officers in Kuwait receiving exequaturs from the Ruler of Kuwait, and by the conclusion in 1960 of an agreement respecting visas directly with the Government of Kuwait.” The United States opened its first consulate in Kuwait on June 27, 1951, and concluded a bilateral agreement with Kuwait on non-immigrant passport visas in an exchange of notes on December 11 and 27, 1960.

Consular Presence U.S. Consulate in Kuwait, 1951, with interruptions. The United States opened its first consulate in Kuwait on June 27, 1951. It opened to the public on October 15, with Enoch Duncan as U.S. Consul to Kuwait.

Diplomatic Relations Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Embassy in Kuwait, 1961. Diplomatic relations were established on September 22, 1961, by agreement between the governments of both states. The American Embassy in Kuwait was established on the same date when the American consul in Kuwait, Dayton Mak, was designated Chargé d’Affaires.

Evacuation of American Embassy Staff, 1990. American Ambassador W. Nathaniel Howell and the Embassy staff left Kuwait on December 13, 1990, in the wake of Iraq’s armed occupation of Kuwait that began on August 2, 1990.

American Embassy Reopened, 1991. The American Embassy reopened on March 1, 1991, following the expulsion of Iraqi armed forces from Kuwait by the military forces of the United States and a multinational coalition.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Kuwait
  • Department of State Country Information: Kuwait
  • Lebanon
U.S. Recognition of Lebanese Independence, 1944. The United States recognized Lebanon as an independent state on September 8, 1944, when the Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs informed the United States that Lebanon fully recognized and would protect existing rights of the United States and its nationals. This Lebanese assurance was in response to a letter sent on September 7, 1944, by the American Diplomatic Agent and Consul General in Lebanon that offered “full and unconditional recognition” upon receipt of such written assurances.

Diplomatic Relations Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Legation in Lebanon, 1944. The United States established diplomatic relations with Lebanon when George Wadsworth presented his credentials as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary on November 16, 1944. Wadsworth had been serving as Diplomatic Agent and Consul General to Syria and Lebanon while the United States considered them to be “semi-independent” states.

American Legation in Beirut Raised to Embassy, 1952. The American Legation in Beirut was raised to embassy status on October 3, 1952, when Harold B. Minor was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

American Embassy Staff Withdrawn, 1989. The United States withdrew all personnel including Ambassador John Thomas McCarthy from the American Embassy in Beirut on September 6, 1989. In a statement to the press, the Department of State explained that the step was taken after supporters of a faction in the civil war had surrounded the embassy, endangering the safety of embassy personnel and preventing the embassy from functioning effectively.

American Embassy Reopened, 1990. The American Embassy in Beirut was reopened on November 29, 1990, when new Ambassador Ryan Crocker presented his credentials.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Lebanon
  • Department of State Country Information: Lebanon
  • Libya
Recognition Tripolitan Recognition of the United States, 1786-1796. U.S. Minister to Great Britain John Adams entered into treaty negotiations with Abdurrahman, the Tripolitan diplomat stationed in London in February of 1786, but the negotiations were inconclusive. Abdurrahman stated that without a treaty, the Tripolitan government would regard the United States and Tripoli to be at war with one another. The Tripolitan government formally recognized U.S. independence by the signing of a peace treaty in Tripoli on November 4, 1796. The treaty was subsequently also signed by the Dey of Algiers, who claimed authority over Tripolitan affairs, although this authority was denied by Pasha Yusuf Qaramanli. The subsequent treaty between the United States and Tripoli, signed on June 10, 1805, was concluded without Algerian supervision.

Tripoli/Libya under Ottoman and Italian Control, 1835-1947. Tripolitan authority to conduct international relations ended when the Ottoman Empire chose to reassert its formerly nominal suzerainty over its Libyan provinces in 1835. The Ottoman Empire formally ceded Libya to Italy under the Treaty of Ouchy on October 18, 1912. Libya formally remained an Italian colony until 1947, when Italy relinquished its claims upon Libya, which had been under joint Franco-British occupation since 1943.

U.S. Recognition of Libyan Independence, 1951. The United States recognized the United Kingdom of Libya on December 24, 1951, in a congratulatory message sent by President Harry Truman to King Idris I. Libya declared its independence on this date after the former Italian colony had been administered jointly by France and Great Britain following World War II.

Consular Relations Consulate at Tripoli and Italian Libya, 1799-1949 (with interruptions). James Leander Cathcart arrived in Tripoli to assume his duties as U.S. Consul on April 5, 1799. Yusuf Qaramanli, Pasha of Tripoli, formally accepted Cathcart’s credentials between that date and April 15, when he stated his acceptance of Cathcart in a letter to U.S. President John Adams. The Consulate closed on May 14, 1801 owing to the beginning of the Tripolitan War. Tobias Lear, who conducted the 1805 peace negotiations, appointed John Ridgely “U.S. agent” for Tripoli, but it is unclear if this was a consular position, or if it meant Ridgely was a signatory to the treaty. The Consulate had re-opened by 1807, when George Davis was U.S. consul at Tripoli. Although Tripoli ceased to be an independent state after 1835, the consulate remained open until July 22, 1882, when it was closed by order of Congress. The office re-opened on June 10, 1908, closed again on August 15, 1916, reopened April 24, 1935, closed again March 15, 1937, then reestablished June 6, 1948. The office was raised to the rank of Consulate General July 1, 1949.

Other Consulates in Libya

  • Al-Baydā’ (Baida, Beida). Earliest extant date July 6, 1964; last extant date June 20, 1996.
  • Benghazi (Banghāzī, Bengazi, Berenice). Earliest extant date July 31, 1950; last extant date September 26, 1966.
Diplomatic Relations Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Legation in Libya, 1951. Diplomatic relations and the American Legation in Libya were established on December 24, 1951, when the American Consulate General was elevated to a Legation with Andrew Lynch designated as Charge d’Affaires ad interim.

Legation in Libya was raised to Embassy status, 1954 John N. Gatch, Jr. , was serving as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim when the Legation in Libya was raised to Embassy status, September 25, 1954. John L. Tappin was appointed Ambassador on the same day, and presented his credentials on November 16, 1954.

Relations from 1980 to 2004. U.S. Chargé d’Affaires William Eagleton, Jr. was recalled February 8, 1980, and the U.S. Embassy at Tripoli closed May 2, 1980, and the Libyan People’s Bureau in Washington closed on May 6, 1981. Relations were not formally severed during this time.

United States Interests Section and Liaison Office Established, 2004. The United States established an Interests Section at the Belgian Embassy in Tripoli, February 8, 2004. It became the U.S. Liaison Office on June 28, with Gregory L. Berry as the Principal Officer. Libyan diplomats reestablished a presence in Washington on July 8, 2004, when they opened the Libyan Interests Section as part of the United Arab Emirates Embassy, Libya’s protecting power.

Elevation of Liaison Office to Embassy Status and Resumption of Full Diplomatic Relations, 2006. On May 31, 2006, the United States resumed full diplomatic relations with Libya, and the Interests Section in Tripoli became an Embassy, with Gregory L. Berry became Charge d'Affaires ad interim.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Libya
  • Department of State Country Information: Libya
  • Irwin, Ray W. The Diplomatic Relations of the United States with the Barbary Powers, 1776-1816. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1931.
  • Kitzen, Michael L. S. Tripoli and the United States at War: a History of American Relations with the Barbary States, 1785-1805. McFarland, 1993.
  • Morocco
Morocco formally recognized the United States by signing a treaty of peace and friendship in 1786. Despite a longstanding consular presence, permanent diplomatic relations did not begin until 1905. Morocco entered into the status of a French protectorate from 1912 to 1956, and normal diplomatic relations were resumed after U.S. recognition of Moroccan independence in 1956.

Moroccan Recognition of the United States, 1786. Morocco recognized the United States on June 23, 1786, when a treaty of peace and friendship was signed by U.S. Minister Thomas Barclay and Sidi Muhammad, Sultan of Morocco, at Marrakech.

Morocco Under French and Spanish Control, 1912-1956. In 1912, Morocco became a French protectorate. Certain portions of Morocco also came under Spanish control, including the province of Tangier. However, the United States did not recognize the French and Spanish protectorates until October 20, 1917, when Secretary of State Robert Lansing sent a letter formally acknowledging the protectorate to Jean Jules Jusserand, French Ambassador to the United States.

U.S. Recognition of Moroccan Independence, 1956. The United States recognized Moroccan independence from French sovereignty on March 7, 1956, in a statement of congratulations regarding the Franco-Moroccan declaration of March 2, wherein France had recognized Moroccan independence.

Consular Presence U.S. Consul Appointed to Morocco, 1797. James Simpson was appointed the first U.S. consul, and arrived on December 7, 1797, at Tangier to assume his duties and establish the U.S. consulate. Simpson served for over twenty years, until his death on March 8, 1820. In 1821, as a gift to the United States, Sultan Mawlay Suleiman gave a building for the consulate’s use, which was the first property abroad owned by the United States. The building is now the Tangier American Legation Institute for Moroccan Studies (TALIM).

Below are dates for the earliest and latest extant dates of U.S. consulates in Morocco. The only Consulate currently in operation is in Casablanca.

  • Tangier (Tanger, Tangiers) earliest date March 31, 1791, closed early 1989. Tangier, which had been an international city (but still technically part of Morocco) was fully integrated into Morocco on October 29, 1956.
  • Essaouira (Mogador) earliest date February, 7, 1817, latest open date December 15, 1920
  • Larache and Asilah (Laraish, Laraiche, Al-Araish, El-Araish/ Arsila, Arsila, Arseila, Arzila) earliest date: May 11, 1852 latest date: September 25, 1896
  • Tétouan (Tetuan) earliest date: May 11, 1852 latest date: June 14, 1896
  • Casablanca (Casa Blanca, Dar El-Beïda, Anfa) earliest date: May 13, 1878 latest date: Present (as of August 25, 2008)
  • Rabat (Ribāt, Salé, Sali, Sallee) earliest date: June 25, 1881. Became Embassy June 11, 1956. latest date: Present
  • Safi (Saffi) earliest date: June 25, 1881 latest date: November 19, 1890
  • El Jadida (Mazagan, Magazan) earliest date: July 28, 1882 latest date: November 5, 1896
Diplomatic Relations Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Legation at Tangier, 1905. Diplomatic relations were established on March 8, 1905, when the American consulate at Tangier was elevated to the status of a legation, and Samuel Gummere was named American Minister Plenipotentiary, with a letter of credence dated March 21. Gummere presented his credentials on September 29, 1906.

Morocco under French and Spanish Control, 1912-1956. The United States did not initially recognize the French and Spanish protectorate over Morocco which was formally established in 1912. However, upon U.S. entry into the First World War, the U.S. Government issued a statement recognizing the protectorate over Morocco on October 20, 1917, whereupon the U.S. Minister at Tangier was downgraded to the status of Diplomatic Agent.

Diplomatic Relations Reestablished and Establishment of American Embassy, 1956. After the recognition of Moroccan independence, the post of diplomatic agent was again raised, this time to the level of ambassador, and the U.S. embassy was established at the capital of Rabat on Jun 11, 1956, with William J. Porter as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim; upon its establishment Legation Tangier was changed in status to a Consulate General. On October 6, 1956, Cavendish Cannon presented his credentials as the first U.S. ambassador to Morocco. On September 5, 1956, Dr. El Mehdi Mohammed Ben Aboud of Morocco presented his credentials to U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Morocco
  • Department of State Country Information: Morocco
  • Irwin, Ray W. The Diplomatic Relations of the United States with the Barbary Powers 1776-1816. . Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1931.
  • Lambert, Frank. The Barbary Wars: American Independence in the Atlantic World . New York: Hill and Wang, 2005.
U.S- Arab Global co-operation
WTO
IMF
UN
Resolution 59/9 Arab league/UN Co-operation

Arab league Permanent Observer
WB

ICJ- Arab judges
Judge Mohamed Bennouna (Member of the Court since 6 February 2006) Moroc

Judge Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh (Member of the Court since 6 February 2000; Vice-President of the Court from 6 February 2006 to 5 February 2009) Jordan
Past:
Fouad Ammoun Lebanon 1965-1976   1970-1976
Abdel Hamid Badawi Egypt 1946-1965   1955-1958
Mohammed Bedjaoui Algeria 1982-2001 1994-1997
Nabil Elaraby Egypt 2001-2006    
* Abdullah El-Erian Egypt 1979-1981
* Salah El Dine Tarazi Syria 1976-1980
Abdallah Fikri El-Khani Syria 1981-1985

strategic
economic
Political

Arab Peace Initiative put forth by Arab countries
Said to be incorporated into Obama's Middle East Policy
thumbnail May 19, 2011 speech above
diplomatic
arab hurricane katrina aid
US Multi lateral bi lateral treaties and agreements (many with Arab nations on many levels)
Possible breakdown to show co-operation
1)Strategic (agreements)
UAE The country signed a military defense agreement with the U.S.

Military Cooperation
U.S.-Egyptian Military Industrial Cooperation
“Bright Star” and other Joint Military Operations
“Desert Storm”



2)Economic

http://www.arabglobalforum.com/PDF/AGF_Program.pdf
different U.S Chamber of Commerce
WTO
IMF
WB

3)Political
UN-ICJ (Arab judges,laws) (UN some agreement some dis/Israel)
conflict over Libya
Israel
Arab Convention on the suppression of Terrorism

Regional org can counter-balance U.S hegemony
legitimizes the League in eyes of Arab Americans and Arabs abroad

U.S Remarks at the Arab League, Cairo, Egypt
Obama Cairo Speech
Obama Remarks on MENA
May 19, 2011

Oman
United States interactions with the Sultanate of Oman in the 1830s were some of America’s earliest official dealings with the Middle East. Relations were sporadic over the next century and a half, but became more regular following the appointment of the first U.S. Ambassador to Oman in 1972

Mutual Recognition, 1833. The first formal act of diplomatic engagement and recognition between the United States and the Sultanate of Oman occurred on September 21, 1833, when a bilateral treaty of Amity and Commerce was signed at Muscat by Special Agent Edmund Roberts and His Majesty Seyed Syeed bin Sultan of Muscat.

Consular Presence Establishment of U.S. consulate in Muscat, 1880 until 1915. The United States established a consulate in Muscat in 1880, which lasted until 1915, at which time American interests in Oman were handled by U.S. diplomats in other countries.

Diplomatic Relations Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, 1972. Diplomatic Relations were established on April 17, 1972, when American Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary William A. Stoltzfus, Jr. presented his credentials to the government of Oman. Stoltzfus was accredited to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as well, and he was resident in Kuwait.

Establishment of the American Embassy in Oman, 1972. The United States Embassy in Muscat was established on July 4, 1972, under Chargé d’ Affaires ad interim Clifford J. Quinlan. William D. Wolle was the first resident Ambassador to Oman, presenting his credentials to the Sultanate of Oman on July 17, 1974.

Resources
  • Bevans, Charles I. Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States of America, 1776-1949. Volume 10, Nepal-Peru. Department of State Publication 8642, August 1972.
  • Department of State Background Note: Oman
  • Department of State Country Information: Oman
  • Langer, William L. An Encyclopedia of World History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1968.
  • Qatar
U.S. Recognition of Qatar’s Independence, 1971. The United States recognized the State of Qatar on September 5, 1971, when the Department of State made an announcement to that effect. Qatar had previously been a protectorate under Great Britain, declaring independence on September 3, 1971, following the termination date of treaties with Great Britain.

Diplomatic Relations Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, 1972. Diplomatic relations were established on March 19, 1972, when American Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary William A. Stoltzfus, Jr. presented his credentials to the government of the State of Qatar. Stoltzfus was also accredited to a number of other Persian Gulf states and he resided in Kuwait.

Establishment of the American Embassy in Qatar, 1973. The United States Embassy in Doha was established on February 24, 1973 under Chargé d’ Affaires ad interim John T. Wheelock. Robert P. Paganelli was the first resident Ambassador to Qatar, presenting his credentials to the State of Qatar on August 22, 1974.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Qatar
  • Department of State Country Information: Qatar
    Saudi Arabia
Summary The United States recognized Saudi Arabia in 1931 and signed a provisional agreement regarding diplomatic and consular representation in 1933. The first permanent diplomatic mission and full diplomatic relations between the countries were established in 1940, with the Kingdom’s acceptance of Bert Fish as American Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. The U.S. Legation opened in Jeddah in 1942 and was elevated to an Embassy in 1949. In 1984, the Jeddah embassy became a U.S. consulate general when the embassy was relocated to Riyadh. The U.S. consulate general in Dhahran opened in 1944.

U.S. Recognition of Saudi Arabia, 1931. The United States recognized the Kingdom of Jejaz and Nejd and its Dependencies on May 1, 1931, when the American Minister at London Charles G. Dawes conveyed this information to the Hejazi Minister at London. The name of the state was changed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by a decree of September 18, 1932.

Diplomatic Relations Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, 1940. Diplomatic relations were established on February 4, 1940, when Bert Fish presented his credentials as American Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. He also was accredited to Egypt and was resident at Cairo.

Establishment of American Legation in Saudi Arabia, 1942. The American Legation in Jidda was established on May 1, 1942, with James S. Moose, Jr., as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.

Elevation of the American Legation to Embassy Status, 1949. The Legation was raised to Embassy status on March 18, 1949, when J. Rives Childs presented his credential as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

American Embassy Moved from Jidda to Riyadh, 1984. On Sep 26, 1984, the U.S. Liaison Office in Riyadh was raised to the rank of Embassy while the Embassy in Jidda (now Jeddah) became a Consulate General.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Saudi Arabia
  • Department of State Country Information: Saudi Arabia

    Tunisia
U.S. Recognition of Syrian Independence, 1944. The United States recognized Syria as an independent state on September 8, 1944, when the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jamil Mardam Bey, informed the United States that Syria fully recognized and would protect existing rights of the United States and its nationals. This Syrian assurance was in response to a letter sent on September 7, 1944, by the American Diplomatic Agent and Consul General in Syria that offered “full and unconditional recognition” upon receipt of such written assurances.

Formation and Recognition of the United Arab Republic, 1958. Egypt and Syria united to form a new state, the United Arab Republic (UAR), on February 22, 1958. The United States recognized the UAR on February 25, 1958, when U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Raymond Hare delivered a note to that effect to the UAR Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo.

Dissolution of the United Arab Republic and Recognition of Syria, 1961. Syria seceded from the UAR on September 28, 1961, and reestablished the independent Syrian Arab Republic (Egypt continued to be known officially as the "United Arab Republic" until 1971). The United States recognized Syria on October 10, 1961, in a press release on that date.

Diplomatic Relations Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Legation in Syria, 1944. The United States established diplomatic relations with Syria when George Wadsworth presented his credentials as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary on November 17, 1944. Wadsworth had been serving as Diplomatic Agent and Consul General to Syria and Lebanon while the United States considered them to be “semi-independent” states.

Diplomatic Relations with Syria Relations Ended, Embassy in Damascus Downgraded, and Relations Established with the United Arab Republic, 1958. Diplomatic relations with Syria ended and the American Embassy in Damascus was reclassified as a Consulate General on February 25, 1958, after Syria joined Egypt to form the new state, the United Arab Republic. The UAR’s capital was established at Cairo, where the United States maintained its embassy.

Reestablishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Embassy in Syria, 1961. The United States reestablished diplomatic relations with the Syrian Arab Republic and the American Consulate General at Damascus was raised to Embassy Status on October 10, 1961, with Ridgway B. Knight as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim. This action followed Syrian withdrawal from the United Arab Republic on September 28, 1961.

Diplomatic Relations Severed, 1967. Syria severed diplomatic relations with the United States on June 6, 1967 in the wake of the June 1967 Arab-Israeli War.

Establishment of U.S. Interests Section, 1974. A U.S. Interests Section in Syria was established on February 8, 1974, in the Italian Embassy with Thomas J. Scotes as Principal Officer.

Reestablishment of Diplomatic Relations and American Embassy, 1974. Diplomatic relations and the American Embassy in Damascus were reestablished on June 16, 1974, with Scotes as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Syria
Tunisia
At the time of U.S. independence, Tunis was a state with nominal dependence to the Ottoman Empire, but which was able to conduct its own foreign policy and conclude treaties. The United States has maintained official representation in Tunis almost continuously since 1795, and a Treaty of Peace and Friendship with Tunisia was signed in 1797.

Recognition Tunisian Recognition of the United States, 1795. Tunisian recognition of the United State occurred at some time in mid-1795, when Tunisian authorities accepted the appointment of an American consular representative for Tunis. At the time, Joseph Donaldson held U.S. consular authority over all the Barbary States, and was named Consul for Tunis on March 28, 1795, but remained at post in Algiers. Joseph Étienne Famin, a French merchant at Tunis, was deputized to act as U.S. consular official. Famin also established a truce between the United States and the Tunisian government which took effect on June 15, 1796. He subsequently was empowered to negotiate a formal Treaty of Peace and Friendship on behalf of the United States with the Bey of Tunis, which was signed on or around August 28, 1797.

Tunisia under French Control, 1881-1956.
After a period of increasing political and economic influence in Tunisia, the French government established control over Tunisia by the Treaty of Bardo on May 12, 1881. The La Marsa Convention, signed June 8, 1883, explicitly stated that Tunisia was a French protectorate, and ended Tunisian power to conduct international diplomacy.

U.S. Recognition of Tunisian Independence, 1956. The United States recognized Tunisia’s independence from France on March 22, 1956, when U.S. Consul General in Tunisa, Morris N. Hughes, sent an official congratulatory message to Sidi Mohammed Lamine Pasha, Bey of Tunis and the Tunisian Government.

Consular Presence Consulate at Tunis, 1795 to 1956 (with interruptions). Consular relations began with the deputization of Joseph Flamin in 1795 or 1796. At this time, Joseph Donaldson held U.S. consular authority over all the Barbary States, but remained at post in Algiers. Flamin remained in Tunis after the signing of the August 1, 1797 treaty, until the arrival of William Eaton, who presented his credentials to Hamouda Pasha, Bey of Tunis, on March 15, 1798. The U.S. maintained a consular presence into the Protectorate period, except for several closings. The first closing was from 1882 to 1890, although there is no extant record of an agent until 1894. The Consulate was also temporarily closed from June 30, 1904 until after the confirmation of vice consul Auguste Proux on Ocotber 8, 1904. The consulate closed again after Proux’s retirement, on April 19, 1912. The Consulate was revived again in 1915, but owing to wartime conditions, it was not staffed until the summer of 1916. The Consulate was also closed from late 1942 until spring of 1943. The office was raised to the status of a Consulate General effective May 22, 1946. The Consulate General was elevated to the status of U.S. Embassy on June 5, 1956. This status was recognized the next day.

Other consulates, with extant dates:

  • Bizerte (Bizerta) ( 1871-1923 )
  • Jerba (Djerba, Gerba) ( 1871-? )
  • La Goulette (Goletta, Halq al-Wadi) ( 1871-? )
  • Mahdia (Madia, al-Mahdiya, Mahedia, Mehdia) ( 1871-? )
  • Monatico(?)( 1871-? )
  • Sfax (Safaqis) ( 1871-? )
  • Sousse (Susa) ( 1871-? )
Diplomatic Relations No Permanent Diplomatic Relations, 1796-1881. Although the United States maintained a consular presence in Tunis from 1795, with interruptions, and a Tunisian envoy visited the United States from 1805-1806, no permanent diplomatic relations existed during the period prior to the French Protectorate.

Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and the American Embassy in Tunisia, 1956.
Diplomatic relations were established on June 6, 1956, when U.S. Charge d’Affaires Morris N. Hughes presented his credentials. The U.S. Government designated the opening of the Embassy on June 5.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Tunisia
  • Department of State Country Information: Tunisia
  • Irwin, Ray W. The Diplomatic Relations of the United States with the Barbary Powers, 1776-1816. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1931.
  • Lambert, Frank. The Barbary Wars: American Independence in the Atlantic World. New York: Hill and Wang, 2005.
  • Ling, Dwight L. Tunisia, from Protectorate to Republic. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1967.
  • Nelson, Harold D. and Howard C. Reese. Tunisia, a Country Study. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1979.
  • UAE
Prior to 1971, the Trucial Sheikdoms of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharja, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Fujairah, and Ras al-Khaimah were under a British protectorate. As such, the Untied States had a very limited relationship with the sheikdoms. Relations became more regular when these sheikdoms formed the United Arab Emirates and gained independence in 1971. Since then, relations became more regular and have grown stronger over the years.
U.S. Recognition of the United Arab Emirates’ Independence, 1971. The UAE declared its independence on December 2, 1971, following the completion of treaties with Great Britain. The United States recognized the United Arab Emirates the next day on December 3.

Diplomatic Relations Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, 1972. Diplomatic relations were established on March 20, 1972, when American Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary William A. Stoltzfus, Jr. presented his credentials to the government of the United Arab Emirates. Stoltzfus was also accredited to a number of other Persian Gulf states and he resided in Kuwait.

Establishment of the American Embassy in the United Arab Emirates, 1974. The United States Embassy in Abu Dhabi was established on June 24, 1974, when the first American Ambassador in residence, Michael Edmund Sterner, presented his credentials to United Arab Emirates’ officials.

Resources
  • Department of State, Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969-1976: Vol. 24 (Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, 2008).
  • Department of State Background Note: UAE
  • Department of State Country Information: UAE

    Yemen
U.S. Recognition of Yemen (Northern Yemen), 1946. The United States recognized the Kingdom of the Yemen as a sovereign state on March 4, 1946, in a letter from President Harry Truman to the Imam Yahya, the King of the Yemen.

U.S. Recognition of Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen), 1962. The United States was one of the first countries to recognize the Yemen Arab Republic, doing so on December 19, 1962.

U.S. Recognition of People's Republic of Southern Yemen, 1967. Although the People’s Republic of Southern Yemen gained independence on November 30, 1967, the United States did not recognize it until December 7, when the U.S. consul general in Aden, William L. Eagleton, Jr. informed the new government authorities of the United States’ decision. In 1970, the name of the country was changed to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen.

Diplomatic Relations Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with the Kingdom of Yemen (North Yemen), 1946. Diplomatic relations were established on March 4, 1946, when the United States and Yemen agreed to the appointment of an American Special Diplomatic Mission to the Kingdom of the Yemen. William A. Eddy was named Chief of this mission and concluded a provisional agreement on relations between the two states on May 4, 1946.

First U.S. Minister to Kingdom of Yemen (North Yemen), 1946. On September 30, 1946, J. Rives Childs presented his credentials as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Yemen (North Yemen). Childs was also accredited to Saudi Arabia and was resident at Jidda.

Establishment of American Legation at Taiz (North Yemen), 1959. The American Legation at Taiz was opened to the public as of March 16, 1959, with Charles B. Ferguson as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim.

Elevation of American Legation in Taiz (North Yemen) to Embassy Status, 1963. The American Legation at Taiz was raised to Embassy status on January 28, 1963. However, from 1962 until 1967 there was no U.S. Minister or Ambassador accredited to the Kingdom of Yemen, which during this time changed its name to the Yemen Arab Republic. The American Embassy was run by the chargé d’affaires ad interim.

Movement of American Embassy from Taiz to San’a (North Yemen), 1966. In 1966 the U.S. moved its embassy from Taiz, the old capital, to San’a, the new capital of the Yemen Arab Republic.

Diplomatic Relations Severed, 1967. The Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) severed relations with the United States on June 7, 1967 in the wake of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with People’s Republic of Southern Yemen (South Yemen), 1967. The United States established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of Southern Yemen the same day that it recognized the Republic’s independence, on December 7, 1967, when it established the U.S. Embassy in Aden. William L. Eagleton, Jr., served as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.

Establishment of American Embassy in Aden (South Yemen), 1967. The U.S. Embassy in Aden was established on December 7, 1967, with William L. Eagleton, Jr., as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.

Severance of Diplomatic Relations, 1969. Chargé d’Affaires ad interim William L. Eagleton, Jr. was in charge of the American Embassy in Aden when the People’s Republic of Southern Yemen severed diplomatic relations with the United States on October 24, 1969.

Closure of Embassy Aden (South Yemen), 1969. Edward E. Keller, Jr., was Chargé d'Affaires ad interim when the Embassy was closed on Oct 26, 1969.

Diplomatic Relations Resumed and Reopening of American Embassy San’a, 1972. The United States reestablished diplomatic relations with the Yemen Arab Republic after a visit to San’a by U.S. Secretary of State William P. Rogers in July 1972. At this time, the Embassy in San’a reopened. Robert A. Stein served as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim. U.S. Ambassador William R. Crawford, Jr. presented his credentials on December 19, 1972, and was the first U.S. Ambassador resident in Yemen.

Resumption of Diplomatic Relations with the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen), 1990. The United States resumed diplomatic relations with the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen on Apr 30, 1990.


Unification of the Yemen Arab Republic and the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen, 1990. On May 22, 1990, the Yemen Arab Republic and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen announced that they would form a united "Republic of Yemen." The U.S. Embassy in Aden never reopened.

Resources
  • Department of State Background Note: Yemen
  • Department of State Country Information: Yemen
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