Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Africa, Volume XIV

104. Telegram From the Department of State to the Consulate at Elisabethville⁰

June 27, 1960, 3:10 p.m.

46. Elisabethville T–63.¹ Department seriously concerned that your presence Provincial Assembly session may be interpreted as evidence U.S. connivance plans of Conakat declare independence. Situation appears full of pitfalls for possible embarrassment of both Consul and U.S. Government. Department considers it would be most unwise for you to be present at Provincial Assembly June 28 and urges you therefore find convenient reason to be absent in order avoid any possibility of being “called forward from visitors’ gallery.”

Herter

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 755A.02/6–2360. Confidential; Niact. Drafted by William L. Wight, Jr., Deputy Director of the office of Middle and Southern African Affairs; cleared in substance with WE; and approved by Wight. Repeated to Léopoldville, Brussels, and Salisbury.
1. Dated June 23, it reported a conversation between Canup and Katanga Minister of the Interior Godefroid Munongo at the latter’s initiative. Munongo told Canup that Conakat leaders planned to declare Katangan independence; he said that at the June 28 session of the Provincial Assembly he would make a speech calling for independence and would then call Canup forward from the visitors’ gallery and hand him an official request for U.S. support, including the dispatch of U.S. armed forces to protect Katanga from attack by Lumumba forces. (Ibid.)