304. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Ghana 0
372. Embtel 412.1 Dept hopes it is significant that Nkrumah took initiative in promptly discussing his New York experience with you. It [Page 668] would certainly be in Nkrumah’s best interest to clarify his position on points made in his speech, on Congo question and future of private enterprise in Ghana.
His performance at UN session made most unfortunate impression in this country because it reflected a complete lack of appreciation of Western position on almost every issue and, while consistently critical of West, failed to find fault with flagrant unilateral Soviet intervention in Congo. By actions as well as words Nkrumah seemed determined abet Soviet cause. Under these circumstances and given adverse reaction many other African states to his performance we do not wish take action to encourage Nkrumah’s role in Africa unless and until he shows greater signs of stability and that his actions are not furthering Soviet objectives in such matters as Congo and UN machinery. This does not mean however that our relations with Nkrumah or GOG should be any less cordial than heretofore and we hope frequent personal contact will make Nkrumah realize where his interests lie and make him aware he cannot indefinitely take one line in private with us as he did with President and a completely opposite line in public as he did at GA.
Nkrumah has grandiose view part he is to play in future Africa. Resistance and resentment his leadership attempts growing in Africa and we hope counter force such as Nigeria will now begin assert strong moderating influence on manner in which regional cooperation is achieved. Remains to be seen how Nkrumah will cooperate with these moderate forces which are inclined toward gradual economic, cultural and educational approach to creation of an African Community rather than schemes for immediate political unity. We would hope his great energies and talents could be turned inward for a time to meet challenge developments within Ghana itself. Your forceful statements concerning advice you will give consortium should prove salutary and Nkrumah’s explanation his “four stream” development plans will be awaited and closely scrutinized by USG and private enterprise.
Nkrumah’s offers silence anti-American press campaigns also encouraging and we will await results his efforts prohibit Ghana becoming a “cockpit” in cold war.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 745J.11/10–560. Confidential. Drafted by Director of the Office of West African Affairs C. Vaughan Ferguson and William D. Toomey of that office, cleared by Hare and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations Woodruff Wallner, and approved by Satterthwaite.↩
- Dated October 5, telegram 412 from Accra requested guidance for further relations with Nkrumah, who was to return from New York the next day. (Ibid.)↩