Office of the Historian

329. Telegram From the Embassy in the United Kingdom to the Department of State1

London, November 15, 1962, 2 p.m.

1869. Under Secretary McGhee met yesterday with Lord Home and subsequently with Foreign Office group headed by Sir Roger Stevens.2 Presentation was general one, along lines described Embassy telegram 1853,3 with concentration upon (1) role of Belgian companies (2) need to get both sides in negotiation re Constitution and (3) U.S. desire see negotiations under Plan continue and resort to force avoided.

Home expressed agreement with U.S. immediate objectives as described by McGhee (as did Roger Stevens). With regard to point (2) above, Home emphasized importance HMG attaches to settlement constitutional question. He further expressed view that a political figure of some stature might be more successful in bringing Adoula and Tshombe together on this issue than either Gardiner or a straight constitutional adviser. During this phase of discussion three names were mentioned by Home: Abubakar4 and Wachuku of Nigeria and Senghor of Senegal. Thought was expressed Senghor probably best man for mission although his present political difficulties would most likely rule him out and some question of his acceptability to both sides. Wachuku’s effectiveness usually diluted by emotional verbosity. Home concluded that Abubakar probably best all around candidate. Home indicated HMG would sound out U Thant re approach Abubakar or someone like him. McGhee agreed similarly approach SYG.

Bruce
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/11–1562. Confidential; Priority; Limit Distribution. Received at 12:03 p.m. and repeated to Brussels and USUN.↩
  2. Memoranda of the conversations (one of which is erroneously dated October 14) are filed as enclosures to a November 20 letter from First Secretary of Embassy Joseph J. Wagner to McGhee. (Ibid., 770G.00/11–2062)↩
  3. Document 328.↩
  4. Reference is to Nigerian Prime Minister Balewa.↩