Office of the Historian

ODA files, lot 62 D 225, “Togoland”

Memorandum of Conversation, by an Adviser of the United States Delegation to the Ninth Regular Session of the General Assembly (Withers)

confidential
[New York,] October 20, 1954.
  • Subject:
  • Togoland

During a conversation with Caston on October 19, I inquired as to whether or not the British had had any conclusive talks with the French with respect to the issue of Togoland. Caston said that they had been talking to the French but nothing very definite had emerged. He added that the French would certainly go along with the British on the latter’s stand on British Togoland. He said that secretly the British hoped the French would say, when the subject of French Togo-land was introduced into the debate, that the French Togolese were “not ready” for any plebescite. The British hope to turn British Togoland over to Nkrumah and let him dicker with the French.1

When I made an offer to assist the British, as we did in the Trusteeship Council, Caston said that while they certainly appreciated our past assistance and offers for future aid they hoped to have the Indians take the lead. When I asked about the Indians’ willingness, Caston said the Indians had more or less been put on the hook on this one and had been “persuaded” to take the lead. The British believe that if the Indians [Page 1421] are in the forefront of this issue it will slide through easily in the Fourth Committee.2

  1. The question of the future of the two Trust Territories of Togoland under British and French administrations respectively came to the Fourth Committee under two agenda items: (1) the Togoland unification problem and (2) the future of Togoland under United Kingdom administration. The first was a continuation of an item which had engaged the attention of the United Nations organs for several years. The second was being introduced as a separate item for the first time.↩

  2. The United States nevertheless was closely involved with the Togoland item in the Fourth Committee, as evidenced by the following extract from a memorandum of Nov. 27, 1954, by Robert R. Robbins, delegation adviser. (The memorandum was written in connection with a proposal that a short statement be made in the Fourth Committee on the matter by the U.S. Delegate.)

    “The British are well aware that we will support them as fully as possible on this item. The Indian draft resolution L/370, which is acceptable to the British, was circulated on November 22nd. The British strategy is to let the Indians ‘carry the ball’ on this item, hoping that we will assist among the Latin American Delegations. The UK opening statement will be factual and restrained. The Indian Delegation will introduce its resolution after the oral petitioners have been heard. It is suggested that our statement be made following the Indian statement, but perhaps only after some of the other non-administering members who might be critical have spoken.” (Memorandum, Robbins to U.S. Delegation Advisers, Nov. 27, 1954, ODA files, lot 62 D 228, “Togoland”)

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