296. Telegram From the Embassy in Ghana to the Department of State0
78. I saw Prime Minister for half hour this morning prior his departure for four day rest at unannounced destination. According to Adu of External Affairs who was present, Acting Canadian HICOM and myself only diplomatic representatives being received at this time.
Following are principal points:
- 1.
- Before I uttered word Prime Minister stated he considered trip to US unqualified success from every point of view. He was impressed by warmth of official and unofficial reception and all but overwhelmed by hospitality. On substantive side he expressed pleasure with progress made on Volta and other economic matters emphasizing rate of development suited him entirely.
- 2.
- Re London talks he stated there had been no discussion of Volta. Queen’s visit to Ghana late next year confirmed but exact date not yet set. He partially evaded my efforts stimulate recital of his conversation with Malik1 but did relate he lectured Malik on ways decrease East-West tension and “mistrust” between great powers. Also indicated he had had difficulty countering Malik’s pressure for exchange of diplomatic missions soon. He had repeated need for further consideration of details, especially size of Soviet mission here, and reiterated wish to have exchange take place after Ghana goodwill mission to Moscow some time next year. As indication of his wobbling on this line he said to Adu “we will probably have to advance date for Moscow trip”. In answer my question he said categorically no date set for diplomatic exchange.
- 3.
- Remarks on visit here of GRC representative Tang reported separate telegram.
- 4.
- He expressed confidence President would make statesmanlike speech to GA today2 and pleasure with news unit of American troops being withdrawn from Lebanon. He seemed pleased with my reference to several flattering comments in American and British press re his ME proposals. However indicated uneasiness with rapid recognition of Iraq regime saying he would continue withhold recognition by Ghana because “you just cannot encourage these fellows to believe they can seize power by subversion.” (Adu had told me previously that he and Prime Minister were pleased with course of US position in ME but that he and to lesser extent Prime Minister were dissatisfied with British position in Jordan on grounds it was senseless to “prop up weak and archaic regime”.)
Prime Minister’s remarks confirmed impression received from all other sources that Prime Minister and associates highly pleased with US trip. Is now clear that Prime Minister’s foremost objectives on domestic front are construction of power dam (smelter of only secondary interest) and large number of factories before Nigeria becomes independent. For present he seems satisfied with US contribution and realizes delays largely caused by Ghana’s slowness. Thus while situation now serene I anticipate that before end of year he will clamor for positive actions to provide large amounts public and private assistance from US.3
I hope Department has been able pouch copies of available memoranda of conversation on talks. Adu mentioned Ferguson offered provide memoranda of certain conversations for his files.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 645J.00/8–1358. Confidential.↩
- Soviet Ambassador to the United Kingdom Yakov Alexandrovich Malik.↩
- President Eisenhower addressed the Third Emergency Special Session of the U.N. General Assembly on August 13 on the subject of the Middle East; for text of his address, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1958, pp. 1032–1039.↩
- Despatch 105 from Accra, August 22, provided a more detailed account of Ghanaian reaction to the visit. It reported that Prime Minister Nkrumah and other officials were very pleased with his reception but that the Embassy sensed some disappointment that the visit had not yielded more tangible results in the form of U.S. commitment to the Volta project or other economic aid. (Department of State, Central Files, 033.45J11/8–2258)↩