Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XX, Congo Crisis

351. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission to the United Nations¹

Washington, December 8, 1962, 7:12 p.m.

1551. We understand SYG expecting to take a number of steps simultaneously on Tuesday² including following:

(a) Letter to Tshombe telling him that in view of lack of progress on UN Reconciliation Plan that UN moving into second phase;

(b) Letter to Belgians requesting they assist in implementing copper and cobalt embargo imposed by GOC and urging they convince UMHK to make payments to GOC rather than to Katanga;

(c) Letter to US, UK and possibly others, requesting that we assist in implementing GOC embargo on copper and cobalt;

(d) Letter to UK, South Africa and Portugal requesting its cooperation in exercising their influence on neighbors of Katanga to prevent transit of copper shipments.

These steps would presumably be preceded by Adoula letter to various UN members to stop import on any copper and cobalt on which revenues have not been paid to GOC.

As indicated in Brussels 804 repeated USUN,³ Belgian cabinet has now taken decision to apply pressure on UMHK to make payments to GOC. Spaak has also indicated intention to send Belgian representative to Eville within the next 24 or 48 hours with view to giving Tshombe one final opportunity.

We agree fully with Brussels comment that in view of this hopeful development nothing should be done by UN which would rock boat at this critical hour. We therefore strongly urge that UN delay sending any letters for time being in order to give opportunity for Spaak-UMHK ploy to be played out. We appreciate fully that SYG feels strong compulsion to take immediate steps to report them to CAC members. However, sending letters likely to make it more difficult for Spaak to take necessary steps with UMHK and will receive negative response from UK. US itself in present circumstances would have to delay its own response.

If it is not possible to have the UN withhold letters we would suggest they be couched so as to make request for embargo contingent on results current Belgian efforts get UMHK to cut off payments to Katanga. Letters could state that if this step fails SYG would recommend application of embargo.

In explaining this to SYG, you should emphasize strongly that this does not in any way mean any diminution of resolve on our part but rather our best judgment as to the most practical way to proceed in order to achieve objectives which we and UN fully share. Request you see SYG soonest.⁴

Rusk

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/12–862. Secret; Niact. Drafted by Sisco; cleared by Williams, Burdett, and Cleveland; and approved by McGhee. Also sent to Brussels, London, Léopoldville, and Elisabethville.
2. December 11.
3. See footnote 1, Document 350.
4. Telegram 2219 from USUN, December 8, reported that a USUN officer had met with Bunche. (Ibid., 770G.00/12–862) Thant sent a letter to Tshombe on December 10, to the Belgian, Portuguese, and South African Foreign Ministers on December 11, and to the U.K. Foreign Secretary on December 12; the texts are in U.N. doc. S/5053/Add.14/Annexes XII–XV, respectively. On December 11, Adoula sent Thant the text of identical letters he was sending to 17 governments requesting their assistance in enforcing a Congolese embargo on all exports of Katangan copper and cobalt; see ibid., Annex XVI; also printed in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1962, p. 911. The text of identical letters from Thant to the 17 governments supporting Adoula’s request are in U.N. doc. S/5053/Add. 14/Annex XVII.