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

314. Memorandum of Conversation⁰

December 18, 1958.

SUBJECT

• United States Relations with Guinea

PARTICIPANTS

• Ambassador Telli Diallo, Emissary of the Republic of Guinea
• Mr. C. Vaughan Ferguson, Jr., Director, AFS
• Mr. George D. LaMont, Deputy Director, AFS
• Mr. Robert L. Ware, AFS

Ambassador Diallo called at the Department to say good-by prior to his departure on December 19 for Conakry via Paris and Dakar. Mr. Diallo said he was extremely grateful for the support given his country by the United States in connection with Guinea’s application for UN membership.¹ He also expressed pleasure at the information that the Department’s plan called for the opening of an Embassy at Conakry early in February 1959.²

Mr. Diallo said that he would leave the question of economic and technical assistance to Guinea until his return to this country in January or February. Mr. Ferguson said that he believed that this was a good idea since Guinea was at the moment in the process of negotiating economic and technical aid agreements with France and obviously this would have a bearing on Guinea’s external requirements. He added, however, that if Mr. Diallo had time ICA stood ready to explain the technical aspects of United States assistance programs to the Ambassador. Mr. Diallo replied that he did not have the time and preferred to leave the matter in abeyance until his return.

Ambassador Diallo went on to say, however, that he personally believed it essential that the United States make some sort of gesture towards Guinea at an early date. He said that he believed the most effective gesture would be an invitation to President Toure to visit the United States. Mr. Ferguson replied that unfortunately state and official visits had to be planned long in advance and that at the time the schedule of visits for 1959 was drawn up and no one in the United States Government envisaged the early emergence of Guinea as an independent state. For this reason, he said, there was absolutely no possibility of a visit in 1959. Ambassador Diallo replied that he understood this but that possibly some sort of vaguely worded general invitation might be conveyed orally to Mr. Toure with no date mentioned. Mr. Ferguson said the Department would consider his suggestion.

(Mr. Satterthwaite, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, entered the meeting at this point to wish the Ambassador bon voyage.)

Ambassador Diallo concluded by repeating his appreciation and gratitude for the courtesies he had received personally and the support his Government had received officially in the United States.

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.70B/12–1858. Confidential. Drafted by Ferguson.
1. The United States voted in favor of Guinea’s admission to the United Nations on December 9 in the Security Council and on December 12 in the General Assembly.
2. The United States and Guinea established diplomatic relations on February 13, 1959. The Embassy in Conakry was established by Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Robert W. Rinden, who presented his credentials to President Sekou Touré on that date. He reported his meeting with Touré in despatches 1 and 3 from Conakry, both dated February 19, 1959. (Ibid., 770B.11/2–1959 and 123–Rinden, Robert W.)