392. Telegram From the Department of State to the Mission to the United Nations1
1779. For Stevenson. Now that limited UN military operation has been successful and Tshombe in Rhodesia,2 we believe it timely for UN through UK to contact Tshombe with a view to establishing basis for Tshombe cooperation in immediate practical steps designed to bring about reintegration of Katanga into the Congo. We believe UN at this point might well seek to assure Tshombe that objective of UN exercise continues to be effective implementation of SC mandate, not the destruction of Mr. Tshombe or his provincial government, nor to impose upon them an unconditional surrender. As prelude to important basic actions which Mr. Tshombe would be expected to take soonest to achieve practical reintegration, believe UN should send message to him through UK suggesting that Tshombe and any principal assistants with him return to Elisabethville. UN, as bona fides that its objective is to achieve peaceful reintegration of Katanga on basis of Thant plan, which Tshombe himself has already agreed to in principle, would guarantee personal security of Tshombe and his provincial authorities in transit as well as in Elisabethville.
We believe such a move by UN, at this particularly advantageous psychological moment, would assure world opinion that recent military actions have not been aimed at destroying Tshombe or provincial government. Moreover, it would afford UN opportunity to seize “reconciliation initiative” at time when UN military operation has been demonstrably effective and successful. It would make much more difficult any attempt by Tshombe to justify further delays in bringing about genuine reintegration of Katanga into Congo.
At same time Tshombe should understand that he is not getting free ride back to Katanga power. He should realize that UN would continue to regard him and deal with him as provincial leader of Katanga provided he cooperates promptly and effectively after his arrival in Elisabethville in immediate steps toward reintegration, viz. facilitating UN freedom of movement, urging UMHK to make payments immediately to GOC, removal of mercenaries, agreeing to cessation of firing and standstill, grounding and impounding of Katanga air capability, practical steps of military reintegration including oath of allegiance by [Page 798] Katanga gendarmerie to President Kasavubu, and other steps to end Katanga secession.
Request you discuss this matter with Thant soonest.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/12–3062. Secret; Priority. Drafted by Sisco; cleared in substance by Williams, Kaysen, McGhee, and Ball; and approved by Cleveland. Repeated to London, Léopoldville, Brussels, and Elisabethville.↩
- Tshombe reportedly arrived in Salisbury on December 30.↩