Office of the Historian

356. Telegram From the Department of State to the Consulate in Elisabethville1

Washington, December 13, 1962, 4:32 p.m.

499. Pursuant to Secretary’s instructions Department telephoned Dean 10:30 AM Washington time. Dean stated he had just received text [Page 725] UMHK payments scheme which Tshombe had approved.2 Dean has acknowledged receipt in writing and has expressed hope that text will be considered secret until it has been referred to Adoula. Dean stated his association with payments scheme had not been requested. He was told by Department that if requested he should support Belgian demarche. In subsequent Department telecon with US Del Paris Secretary’s wishes were expressed that US reps both Eville and Leo, in coordination with Belgians and UN, give full support to scheme and do everything possible develop negotiations. Everyone recognizes substance of plan may be inadequate but Spaak has sent additional instruction which may or may not have been incorporated in latest draft. Spaak believes and Secretary concurs that whether or not additional instructions incorporated we should spare no effort to have this constructive development succeed. Department continues believe that payment by UMHK of foreign exchange and taxes to GOC is the most important element of progress towards success U Thant Plan.

Ball
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/12–1362. Confidential; Niact. Drafted by Godley and Ball’s Special Assistant Arthur A. Hartman; cleared in substance by Williams, Wallner, and Burdett; and approved by McGhee. Also sent to Léopoldville and repeated to Paris for Rusk and to Brussels, London, and USUN.↩
  2. A letter from Tshombe to U Thant, December 12, proposed to authorize Union Miniere to transfer the foreign exchange proceeds derived from its exports to the Congolese Monetary Council in return for which the Monetary Council was to return 50 percent (but no less than a specified minimum) to Katanga; for text, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1962, p. 912. The text of the letter to Thant, with a covering letter to the Consulate, was transmitted in telegram 913 from Elisabethville, December 13. (Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/12–1362)↩