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

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

November 5, 1960, 4:28 p.m.

169. Contel 183.¹ Department feels continued presence UN in Katanga and Tshombe cooperation with UN essential in terms reduction Tshombe reliance on Belgian technicians and advisors. You therefore asked do all appropriate restrain Tshombe from taking any further precipitate action against Berendsen or ONUC forces generally. In this connection you can tell him US has been seeking clarify with Hammarskjold points raised in his letter to Tshombe requesting withdrawal Belgians and that we would hope Tshombe would not take drastic action. Arguments to use at your discretion however if you continue feel Tshombe interested in diversifying origin of technical assistance and advice available to him. UN is best available means at present and we would hope that Tshombe would not consider SYG letter as threat to him. Nature of Tshombe reply to SYG² is constructive and we welcome this helpful and statesmanlike approach on his part.

You should emphasize with Tshombe our hope he will not feel himself isolated in present situation, that we obviously appreciate his pro-Western orientation and his efforts maintain stability and a working economy in Katanga. You may also indicate that he is by no means alone in his opposition to Lumumba and that USG and many African states are taking appropriate measures in various ways to achieve stable, moderate government in Congo. While we unable in present circumstances to help Tshombe directly, he should realize our approach is, within the context of a unified Congo, to work for stable government, deter Communist intervention and contribute to economic recovery Congo in which Katanga would share.³ You may wish call his attention resolutions recent Abidjan Conference⁴ in connection African opposition Lumumba.

You should indicate we would welcome whatever statements he can make indicating willingness to talk with Leopoldville leaders about federal structure for Congo and to cooperate fully in such a government. His September 7 public declaration⁵ indicating his ideas on federation and budgetary contribution to central government was helpful and he might wish reiterate this. You should also emphasize with him that without Katanga support and cooperation with other anti-Lumumba Congolese, removal of Lumumba politically will be considerably more difficult if not impossible, and with Lumumba in a position of authority, the stability for the rest of the Congo which Tshombe has stated is a prerequisite for any rapprochement, will be equally impossible. FYI: This line was advanced by Department officer to Mwant Yav⁶ during latter’s call in Department. He appeared to be receptive to it, although Department takes his acceptance this line with some salt.

Dillon

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/10–2260. Limited Official Use. Drafted By Woodruff and cleared by Coote, Wallner, Satterthwaite, Day, and in draft by Sisco. Repeated to USUN, Léopoldville, and Brussels.
1. Dated October 22, telegram 183 reported on a crisis in relations between the U.N. leadership in Katanga and the Tshombe government. Tshombe’s demand for Berendsen’s recall was expected imminently. (Ibid.)
2. See footnote 4, Document 251.
3. Telegram 201 from Elisabethville, October 28, reported that Tshombé had told Canup he was disillusioned by the U.S. attitude toward Katanga; he cited the refusal of a scholarship to an individual but refused to elaborate further. Canup thought the basic cause of irritation was the Western powers’ failure to recognize Katanga. (Department of State, Central Files, 611.70G/10–2860)
4. A meeting held October 23–25 in Abidjan by 12 French-speaking African nations: Cameroun, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Dahomey, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Malagasy Republic, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Upper Volta.
5. Reference is apparently to a statement of September 6, the text of which was enclosed with despatch 528 from Brussels, December 9. (Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/12–960)
6. Tshombe’s father-in-law, Paramount Chief of the Lunda, Mwata Yamvo Ditende Nuwezi III.