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

335. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission at the United Nations⁰

October 2, 1958, 10:31 p.m.

305. For Lodge from the Acting Secretary. Reference Delga 70.¹ I would appreciate it if you will arrange, unless you have serious objections, meeting with Eric Louw, Foreign Minister, Union of South Africa, urgently and impress upon him US Government’s apprehension that an inflexible stand by the Union at this point in discussion of Report of Good Offices Committee on South West Africa² makes very difficult efforts by friendly governments to be helpful and will close the door to further negotiation and may lead to referral by some State to ICJ with probability judgment adverse to Union and therefore against Union’s interest. US as many others endorsed GOC and agreed supply member because it considered this furnished long awaited opportunity finally resolve future of territory. It is hopeful that even if Fourth Committee turns down idea of study of Partition the Union would remain receptive to further discussion with GOC or other body so authorized by GA. We fear Louw’s present tactics will result in exactly opposite result from what he intends and can serve not only to intensify present hostility to Union in UNGA but place Union’s friends in extremely awkward position.³ Keep UKDel informed.

Herter

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 320/10–158. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Deputy Director of the Office of Dependent Area Affairs Robert G. McGregor, Director of the Office of Middle and South African Affairs C. Vaughan Ferguson, and Marcia M. Fleming of the Legal Adviser’s Office; cleared by Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Francis O. Wilcox, United Nations Adviser for European Affairs William T. Nunley, and in substance by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Joseph C. Satterthwaite; and approved by Acting Secretary Herter. Repeated to Pretoria.
1. Delga 70 from USUN, October 1, reported that Louw was requesting an appointment with Secretary Dulles, probably in connection with Fourth Committee discussion of South West Africa. It urged that either Dulles or Herter receive him and impress on him “the importance of South Africa’s making it easier, not more difficult, for its friends to help it play its proper role.” (Ibid.)
2. The report noted that the South African Government had rejected the Committee’s proposals for a modified mandate arrangement or trusteeship, and it expressed the opinion that some form of partition, under which part of the territory would be annexed by South Africa and the rest would be placed under trusteeship, might provide a basis for an agreement. For text, see U.N. doc. A/3900.
3. Delga 94 from USUN, October 6, reported that Walmsley had talked to Louw along these lines. (Department of State, Central Files, 320/10–658) Resolution 1243 (XIII), adopted by the General Assembly on October 30, rejected partition as a basis for solution and invited the Good Offices Committee to renew discussions with South Africa in order to find a basis for agreement on the territory as a whole. It was adopted by a vote of 61 to 8, with 7 abstentions; the United States voted in favor. For text, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1958, p. 1105.