Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Africa, Volume XVIII

1. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, February 1, 1955¹

Washington , February 1, 1955.

SUBJECT

• Participation of African States in Afro–Asian Conference³

PARTICIPANTS

• Mr. John D. Jernegan, Deputy Assistant Secretary, NEA
• M. Jacques Vimont, Minister, French Embassy
• Mr. J. Jefferson Jones, III, SOA

M. Vimont, referring to his conversations with Mr. Utter regarding the attendance of African states at the Asian–African Conference, asked if the Department had reached a final decision as to whether it would discourage African states from attending the Conference.

Mr. Jernegan replied in the affirmative stating that we thought there should be a distinction made between the Asian and African states in so far as attendance at the Conference was concerned. However, we perhaps did not make so great a distinction as did the British or the French. We were happy with the British position of discouraging discreetly the Gold Coast and Central African Federation from attending. It was too dangerous in our opinion to discourage the attendance of Liberia and Ethiopia. The Department had sent telegraphic instructions to our missions in these two, countries requesting them to maintain a hands off position; however, if the two states should decide to attend, it was recommended that they send the ablest possible representation.⁴

Mr. Jernegan continued that on balance we believed that it was in our interest to encourage friendly non-communist invitees to go to the Conference. We intended to point out, however, to these friendly countries that the communists would attempt to dominate the Conference. However, if the non-communist invitees were represented by capable delegates, and the delegates cooperated, they should be able to block communist maneuvers and perhaps introduce constructive resolutions.

The Department was engaged in studying what influence we could exert in appropriate manners in connection with the Conference. We would appreciate the benefit of any thoughts on this subject which the French might have.

M. Vimont expressed his appreciation for the information furnished him by Mr. Jernegan and said that the French position was more or less the same. However, the French Government had hoped that the US would use its influence in order to prevail upon Liberia and Ethiopia not to send representatives to the Conference.

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 670.901/2–155. Secret. Drafted by Jones.
3. The Afro–Asian Conference was attended by 29 nations in April 1955 at Bandung, Indonesia.
4. These instructions were conveyed in telegrams 91 to Monrovia and 205 to Addis Ababa, January 28. (Department of State, Central Files, 670.901/1–2855) At an earlier meeting on January 21, the Secretary of State and the Director of Central Intelligence, Allen Dulles, expressed their apprehension that Bandung portended a new Communist drive in Africa. (Memorandum of conversation by McAuliffe, January 21; Ibid., 670.901/1–2155) At a subsequent discussion on January 27, Jernegan indicated that one of his objectives was to preclude the establishment of a precedent whereby Africans and Asians dealt with outside powers as a bloc. (Memorandum of conversation by Selby, January 27; Ibid., 670.901/1–2755) Eugene Vincent McAuliffe and Richard Roy Selby, Jr. were both on the Reports and Operations Staff of the Executive Secretariat.