Word: benyahia
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...necessary forces of our Government were focused on our task. The communication networks of various agencies were alerted and available to our team around the world. Secretary of State Ed Muskie was at his desk, maintaining contact with Algiers, where Warren Christopher was conducting the fitful discussions with Benyahia. Harold Brown was In the Pentagon, arranging for services that would be needed in the Persian Gulf region and at other points along the route to freedom, which we prayed would soon be taken by the hostages. Hundreds of U.S. and other officials were waiting for the final move...
...take place. Finally, I realized that the Bank Markazi, Iran's central bank, had not sent the technical instructions required for the transfer. I called Christopher, Miller, Cutler, Powell and Muskie, in that order, to tell them to check. I was right, it was indeed a problem. Benyahia discovered that the Iranian bank officials did not agree with the terms negotiated and were refusing to cooperate...
That afternoon, as I bade goodbye to my Cabinet, Muskie brought more bad news. Christopher, normally an optimist, was discouraged because the Algerians' sense of urgency seemed to have vanished. We decided that Christopher should inform Benyahia that our authority would expire at noon the next day; his plane should stand by for his departure from Algiers at that time. We hoped this order would impress on the Algerians and the Iranians that there was a deadline: noon, Tuesday, Jan. 20. After that, neither Christopher nor I could speak for the U.S., and the entire negotiations might have...
...from Christopher: "All parties are now signing the escrow agreement. Iran has been informed. Benyahia states that the hostages will be moved out within an hour after notice from Algeria...
...from Miller: "The message is continuing but garbled. If the test number at the end is accurate, we will buy it." 2:45 a.m., from Christopher: "I am ready to go to Benyahia, but a serious difference has now developed among Americans concerning the escrow language-between Treasury and the Federal Reserve." (This involved the Iranian money to be held to settle legal claims.) The Fed lawyers state that they cannot sign the necessary documents. (Treasury officials reported to me that the agreement was adequate. Representatives of the Fed, an independent establishment, were not convinced...