If we place this agreement under scrutiny—assuming doubt about whether its provisions align with the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—we find that the controversy surrounding it was an exaggeration of something that did not in fact exist. The provisions of the agreement were marked by clarity and explicitness, qualities absent from similar agreements concluded between Western states and certain oil‑producing Middle Eastern countries.
First:
The agreement is distinguished—according to Article (20)—by its short duration. This is one of its most important and vital points. While some similar air‑base agreements were tied to the duration of the treaties between the parties—as in the case of the British‑Iraqi treaty—Article (20) of the Dhahran Agreement states:
“20 — This agreement shall enter into force as of this day (13 Ramadan 1370 AH / 18 June 1951) and shall remain in effect for five years. It shall remain valid for an additional five years unless either party notifies the other, six months before the end of the first five‑year period, of its desire to amend or terminate this agreement.”
Here, the reader will notice the binding condition regarding amendment or termination, which grants the Saudi side ample opportunity to reconsider the agreement according to its interests and needs.
Second:
The agreement stipulates that all facilities constructed at the air base become the property of the Saudi government upon their establishment, as stated in Article 6(b):
“(b) These facilities and installations shall become the property of the Government of Saudi Arabia upon their construction, and all fixed installations on the ground shall be considered the property of the Government of Saudi Arabia upon their establishment. The Government of Saudi Arabia permits these new installations and fixed facilities to remain at the disposal of the United States Mission for the duration of this agreement.”
To reinforce this ownership, Articles 6(c) and 6(d) state:
“(c) It is agreed that the United States Mission shall not remove any of the fixed installations that have been erected and have become the property of the Government of Saudi Arabia. Should the Mission replace any installations, the new installations shall become the property of the Government of Saudi Arabia, and the removed equipment shall become the property of the United States Government.”
“(d) Neither the Mission nor the United States may sell, lease, gift, or mortgage to any third party anything granted to it or placed at its disposal under this agreement at Dhahran Air Base.”
And Article (16) states:
“Upon the termination of this agreement, the Mission shall return to the Government of Saudi Arabia, in usable condition, all fixed installations, property, and equipment used in the operation and maintenance of Dhahran Air Base.”
Third:
The agreement guarantees the right of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reject or expel any member of the Mission, its employees, or its workers whom it does not wish to admit into the country, as stated in Articles 2(d) and 2(e):
“(d) No member of the Mission or other employee shall be among those undesirable to the Government of Saudi Arabia. The United States Government shall provide a detailed list of the names and identities of such employees and workers.”
“(e) If the Government of Saudi Arabia requests the Mission to remove or replace any employee or worker whom it does not wish to remain in the country, the Mission shall comply immediately.”
Similarly, Article (14) includes the condition:
“Provided that they are not among those undesirable.”
And Article (18) states:
“The Mission may not contract for any construction work permitted under this agreement at Dhahran Air Base without restriction in choosing the contractor, provided that the contracting companies or individuals are not undesirable to the Government of Saudi Arabia.”
Fourth:
The agreement carefully includes explicit language affirming the absolute sovereignty of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over every aspect of the air base—material or moral—whether the matter arises internally from the Mission or externally from the United States Government.
To demonstrate this, several provisions may be cited:
Article (19):
“Nothing in this agreement shall be interpreted or construed as affecting or diminishing in any way the absolute sovereignty of the Government of Saudi Arabia over Dhahran Air Base. Nor does it permit, under any circumstances or for any reason, overflight, landing, or any aviation activity over or near the holy places or other prohibited areas.”
Article 12(a):
“Full authority and complete sovereignty inside and outside the air base belong solely to the Government of Saudi Arabia.”
Article 2(b):
“The number of Mission personnel shall be determined upon the request of the Mission Chief and with the approval of the Saudi Minister of Defense.”
Article 13(a):
“All U.S. military personnel of the Mission, as well as all civilian employees and dependents—whether U.S. nationals or nationals of friendly states—shall respect the laws and regulations in force in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
Fifth:
The agreement guarantees that the Saudi government will receive all necessary assistance and services, facilitating maximum benefit. The most notable of these is the annex providing for training Saudi students in the United States, along with material and moral support to improve their living conditions and expand their educational opportunities.
The Mission also provides:
- Spare parts for Saudi government aircraft in emergencies, including engines.
- Weather services, radio intelligence, air‑rescue operations, and aircraft operations for civil aircraft authorized by the Saudi government to use Dhahran Air Base.
- Clinic services for Saudi nationals employed by the Mission and for Saudi members and students of the U.S. training mission, and—within its capabilities—assistance in cases of epidemics or contagious diseases.
- Well‑drilling and dam construction for water storage.
- Improvement of public health conditions in areas surrounding Dhahran Air Base, in cooperation with the relevant Saudi authorities.
Source: Kitāb al‑Nasr al‑Asmar (The Brown Eagle), by Hashim al‑Bannā.
Text of the Dhahran Air Base Agreement
In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
No.: 1/2/7/1771
Date: 7 Ramadan 1376 AH
With the help of Almighty God…
We, Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
After reviewing the two memoranda exchanged in Washington on 2 Ramadan 1376 AH between the Assistant Undersecretary of the U.S. Department of State and our Ambassador in Washington—under which the Government of the United States agreed to supply us with military equipment for payment, implement the necessary training programs for our armed forces, and our government agreed to renew the facilities granted to it at Dhahran Air Base under the agreement dated 13 Ramadan 1371 AH—
And based on what has been submitted to us by the Prime Minister,
We hereby decree the following:
Article One
Approval is granted for the aforementioned agreement concluded between our government and the Government of the United States of America pursuant to the two memoranda attached to this decree.
Article Two
This reciprocal agreement shall take effect from the date of its conclusion, and its provisions shall be implemented on the basis of the mutual obligations undertaken by both contracting parties.
Article Three
The Prime Minister shall implement this decree.
Source: Adwa’ ‘ala al‑Mamlakah al‑‘Arabiyyah al‑Sa‘udiyyah, by Sheikh Abdullah Balkhair
Saudi–American Memoranda
Text of the Memorandum from the U.S. Deputy Undersecretary of State to the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Washington
Your Excellency,
I have the honor to refer to the discussions held between His Majesty King Saud and President Eisenhower, and between representatives of our two governments, during the period from 30 January to 8 February 1957, concerning relations between our two countries and their mutual interest in strengthening and expanding their cooperation.
The Government of the United States is pleased to affirm its understanding of the general agreement reached during these discussions.
• The United States recognizes the explanations given by His Majesty King Saud to President Eisenhower and acknowledges the need of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to strengthen its armed forces for the defense of the Kingdom, including the defense of Dhahran Air Base.
• In this regard, the United States will continue—within its constitutional framework and in cooperation with Saudi Arabia—to provide military equipment on a paid basis under the two memoranda exchanged between the governments on 18 June 1951, which stipulate that the equipment be used to promote international peace and security in accordance with the UN Charter. The equipment to be provided will be in accordance with the understandings reached during the aforementioned discussions. Both governments agree that the equipment will be used by Saudi Arabia to defend its independence, territorial integrity, and internal security.
• The United States agrees to provide the Government of Saudi Arabia, free of charge, with certain additional installations at Dhahran Air Base to improve civil aviation facilities. It also agrees to provide a training program for the Royal Saudi Air Force, expand the current advisory training program for the Saudi Army, and train naval personnel. The details of these services will be agreed upon.
• In the same spirit, and reaffirming the close cooperation between the two countries, the United States is pleased to continue using the facilities granted at Dhahran Air Base under the agreement of 18 June 1951, extended for five years from the date of this exchange.
• To facilitate and improve the implementation of the Dhahran Air Base Agreement and related agreements, both governments agree to hold further discussions in Saudi Arabia to achieve additional understandings.
• In considering the economic needs of Saudi Arabia, the United States is prepared to assist in implementing mutually agreed‑upon projects. In this regard, the expansion of Dammam Port will receive priority consideration. The United States also agrees to provide certain engineering and technical assistance and to make efforts to secure financial credits for economic projects.
These matters will be discussed between the competent representatives of both governments and confirmed through subsequent understandings.
• The above measures shall be taken in accordance with the legislative procedures of both countries.
• If the Government of Saudi Arabia accepts the above, the United States agrees that this letter and Your Excellency’s reply confirming its contents shall constitute a final agreement between the two governments.
Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
For the Secretary of State,
Robert Murphy
Deputy Undersecretary of State
Washington, 2 April 1957
To His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah Khayyal
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Washington
Non‑Renewal of the Agreement
Saudi Arabia announced that it would not renew the Dhahran Air Base Agreement with the United States. The agreement was set to expire in April 1962.
At the same time, the U.S. Department of State announced that Saudi Arabia had requested the evacuation of the base. A State Department spokesman stated that the United States had agreed to end its military operations there before April of the following year.
American officials indicated that Saudi Arabia’s decision appeared to be a reaction to the United States’ friendly policy toward Israel.
It is known that the United States built Dhahran Air Base on Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast in 1946, and it was considered one of the most modern airfields in the Middle East. A State Department spokesman noted that the late King Abdulaziz Al Saud, father of King Saud, had approved the project for constructing the base with U.S. assistance.
Political observers stated that although the Saudi government did not specify a reason for its decision, it came as no surprise. They noted that the base had become a subject of internal political debate in Saudi Arabia, and that national organizations had long demanded the termination of agreements allowing U.S. use of the base.
The United States announced that it would continue building the civil aviation airport at Dhahran—even if Saudi Arabia refused to renew the military agreement expiring on 1 April 1962.
U.S. State Department spokesman Joseph Rapp added that work on the civil airport was nearing completion, and that the U.S. government had not yet decided whether to request renewal of the 1957 military agreement.
United Press reported that construction of the modern civil airport—stipulated in the 1957 agreement—was 70% complete, and expected to be finished within a year. The spokesman added that Saudi Arabia’s decision not to renew the agreement would not affect commercial aviation, and that he had no information regarding the future of U.S. military aid to Saudi Arabia.
It is known that the United States had provided Saudi Arabia with $46 million in economic aid since 1946.
Joseph Rapp, under pressure from reporters, stated that the United States had no hope of retaining its military rights at Dhahran Air Base through negotiations with Saudi Arabia.
United Press added that U.S. military bases in the Arab world—such as Dhahran and the bases in Morocco—had always been politically sensitive. The United States had already agreed to evacuate the four major bases in Morocco by 1964.
Source: Akhbar Al‑Youm
Date: 18 March 1961