82. Telegram From the Embassy in Belgium to the Department of State1
99. Paris pass USRO. Congo. Embtel 80.2I discussed the Congo situation again with Spaak last evening prior his departure for Bonn this morning. He said he sent message to Tshombe (reference telegram) indicating why interests of Katanga could best be served by cooperating with Moderates in Léopoldville and why GOB opposed separatism. He also saw British Charge yesterday and urged British influence be exerted in same sense. While he thought it very useful for UN, British, French, ourselves and other like-minded people to urge Tshombe to send representatives to Parliament and cooperate with Congolese Moderates, Spaak said we must be extremely careful not to present him with ultimatum or appear to threaten him as he might react adversely. Spaak said he believes Tshombe having great difficulty with Munongo and other “reactionaries”, and that while we should continue to urge Tshombe in right direction we should use skill and finesse. Spaak also continues feel (as does Godley in Léopoldville 104 to Department)3 that we should not at this juncture press for specific early date for convening Parliament.
Spaak saw Robiliart (Elisabethville 57 to Department)4 who has just returned from Katanga. While Robiliart assured Spaak Union Miniere was using its influence with Tshombe for moderation, Spaak said he told Robiliart this was contrary to information GOB had received, which was that Union Miniere was not effectively using its influence with [Page 165] Tshombe to get him to cooperate with Moderates and send representatives to Parliament. I told Spaak I was glad that he taking this stand with Robiliart and in strictest confidence told him I understood Alan Kirk5 also urging Union Miniere and Societe Generale to be constructive.
Spaak concluded by saying political atmosphere in Congo very murky but he hoping for best and will continue do all he can to get Tshombe cooperation with Moderates.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/7–1861. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to Léopoldville, USUN, Elisabethville, London, and Paris.↩
- Telegram 80, July 14, reported a conversation the previous evening in which Spaak told MacArthur about his recent talks with Hammarskjöld at Geneva. Hammarskjöld had argued that it was necessary to give priority to uniting Léopoldville and Stanleyville before the United Nations met in September, or U.N. members would be split between those recognizing Gizenga at Stanleyville and those recognizing Kasavubu at Léopoldville. Spaak argued that a meeting of Parliament without Tshombe ran the risk of a Communist-dominated government. He thought Tshombe was the key to the problem, and he planned to send Tshombe a letter arguing the case for a unified Congo. (Ibid., 770G.00/7–1461)↩
- In telegram 104 from Léopoldville, July 14, Godley stated that he had not pressed for a specific early date for convening Parliament since it might be interpreted as meddling in purely internal affairs. (Ibid., 770G.00/7–1461)↩
- Telegram 57 from Elisabethville, July 13, reported a conversation with Robiliart of Union Miniere, who was visiting Katanga briefly. Canup asked Robiliart what he had done to convince Katangans their salvation lay in reintegration with the remainder of the Congo. He replied that he had seen Tshombe but had not raised the subject, but he had discussed it with several ministers. He indicated that the Katangans were “obsessed with fear that Katanga would become mired in Congolese political and economic chaos” and he did not expect any reconciliation. (Ibid., 770G.00/7–1361)↩
- Retired Admiral Alan G. Kirk had served as Ambassador to Belgium, 1946–1949.↩