309. Telegram From the Embassy in the Congo to the Department of State1
837. For Secretary and Under Secretary from McGhee. For Ambassador from McGhee. For Stevenson from McGhee. Following are developments since despatch Elisbethville’s 457.2 Pursuant to understanding reached my last meeting with Tshombe, Mathu and Ngalula, GOC representative in Elisabethville, met with Tshombe 11 a.m. October 7 with draft proposed stand-fast agreement repeated Elisabethville 458.3 Although I was not fully advised as to results of meeting since our plane [Page 615] had to leave Elisabethville immediately after hearing preliminary reports, Tshombe presumably requested deferral until 10:30 a.m. today in order consult his experts, and indicated he had additional point which he might raise. This, of course, concern that he may inject some new element, such as removal UN road-blocks, which would not be acceptable. He had raised no such conditions with me; indeed, he had repudiated as not his several impossible conditions previously raised by his representatives in Military Commission.
After return Léopoldville Ambassador, Fredericks and I spent evening with Adoula, dining at Ambassador’s residence and inspecting first shipment of impact military supplies which had just arrived.
When shown list of action items which I had discussed with Tshombe as contained in reference telegram he appeared quite happy and commented they seemed practical. He considers action on first point as the key; that is, step-by-step action toward integration before constitution is promulgated. I went over items one by one and explained degree of understanding I considered I had reached with Tshombe on each. Although I indicated that immediate payment I had recommended to Tshombe under point 8 was one month at 50 percent revenue and foreign exchange, I did describe strong feeling expressed by Tshombe and shared by others in Elisabethville that this was not perhaps realistic basis for permanent division. This, as has been reported,4 is a matter on which Gardiner also has misgivings but has not yet taken up with Adoula in frank way. However, Adoula did not react strongly nor appear greatly surprised.
Ambassador and I raised with him again the question of the constitution, urging him to send copies to the Provincial Presidents and to publish it. He agreed to publish it within a week, but remained adamant on sending it beforehand to the Presidents. This was not provided for in the fundamental law. We replied this was not a matter of law but courtesy and would greatly help us and others with our public opinion. It would not affect his plans vis-a-vis Parliament since there was little that the Presidents could do about it in the short time involved. Although he indicated desire to help President Kennedy with his internal political problems, he remained firm on this point, as he had when Gullion raised it before.
Adoula indicated that draft constitution would not be changed before presentation to Parliament. Comments his own Ministers would [Page 616] merely be for benefit of government in handling matter before Parliament.
On departing from us, Adoula drafted new instruction to Ngalula which have presumably resulted in a new draft stand-still agreement to be presented to Tshombe at 10:30 today.
Adoula’s suggested changes, which are given in separate telegram (Embtel 838)5 need not, it is believed, raise in themselves insurmountable problems.
In meeting this morning with Gardiner, I went over conversations with Tshombe in detail, giving him copies of nine action points and explaining degree of understanding reached with Tshombe about each. Gardiner thought all helpful. He indicated that Bunche would probably be concerned that only non-military UN supplies were specified for UN blocking. I made clear that in view Tshombe’s strong resistance to aviation gas, I had considered this as much as could be achieved in a first step, that we should perhaps take aviation gas as a next step.
Gardiner advised that he had now urged Adoula not make constitution public until after his forthcoming visit to Elisabethville on October 11 since Tshombe reaction might make more difficult work Commissions. In all probability this would not, however, interfere with Adoula promise of publication within a week. Other matters discussed with Gardiner will be reported in a separate telegram.
Gardiner plans go Elisabethville on October 11 for meeting with Tshombe, returning October 12, which will give me opportunity obtain his evaluation Tshombe’s compliance with promised actions.
I plan go Stanleyville tomorrow, returning Thursday noon and, depending on developments and results Gardiner visit may return Washington as early as October 14, unless Department has other views.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/10–862. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to USUN and Brussels.↩
- Telegram 556 from Elisabethville (Document 308) was repeated to Léopoldville as telegram 457.↩
- Sent to the Department as telegram 557 from Elisabethville, October 7. (Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/10–762)↩
- McGhee mentioned this in telegram 549 from Elisabethville, October 5, which reported a conversation with representatives of Union Miniere and the National Bank of Katanga on the problems involved in the division of foreign exchange. (Ibid., 870G.131/10–562)↩
- Dated October 8. (Ibid., 770G.00/10– 862)↩