Office of the Historian

403. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the Congo1

Washington, January 5, 1963, 4:26 p.m.

1038. USUN’s 26102 and Elisabethville’s 1134,3 11354 and 1136.5 Believe Dean’s unofficial contact with Van Weyenbergh is useful as channel to assure that Tshombe understands USG position as stated in Department press statement of January 4 (Cir 1169).6 However we believe it important that we not be connected with current Belgian effort return Tshombe to Elisabethville. Guidance contained in Deptel 5637 still stands.

You will have seen from New York’s 2610 that Belgians have obtained SYG’s agreement to a proposal whose objective is to get Tshombe to return to Elisabethville. While on basis of present reports we are not sanguine that Belgians will succeed, we believe it is important to play out this string for time being.

Nevertheless, suggestion made by Dean in his penultimate paragraph of Elisabethville’s 1135 has merit. If in fact Tshombe fearful of gendarmerie, as Dean’s report indicates, procedure contained in 1135 has advantage of giving Tshombe a face-saver while at the same time affording UN opportunity to exercise freedom of movement and to get [Page 815] into Kolwezi without use of military force. Proposal also has advantage of giving UN opportunity to protect UMHK facilities and Delcommune Bridge.

Since for the time being we wish to play out present Belgian track, we believe Gullion should explore Dean’s suggestion strictly on a contingency basis with Bunche and Gardiner. USUN authorized similarly to explore idea with SYG on contingency basis. While probably less feasible, both Léopoldville and USUN authorized also discuss on contingency basis Dean’s suggestion contained in 1136.

Ball
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/1–563. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Sisco and Whitehouse; cleared by Cleveland, Williams, and Beaudry; and approved by Ball. Also sent to Elisabethville and USUN and repeated to London and Brussels.↩
  2. Dated January 4. (Ibid., 770G.00/1–463)↩
  3. Telegram 1134, January 3, transmitted the text of a message from Union Miniere Director Van Weyenbergh to Tshombe urging him to cease all destruction, carry out the Thant plan, and authorize liberty of movement for the U.N. forces. It also transmitted the text of Tshombe’s reply, which stated that he was “disposed to cease further destruction” but “circumstances independent of my desire have forced me carry out these acts,” that he was “desirous to negotiate execution of Thant plan” and would be glad to have “certain guarantees in order to permit me to pass into action.” (Ibid., 770G.00/1–363)↩
  4. In telegram 1135, January 4, Dean suggested that Gardiner send a message to Tshombe through Van Weyenbergh proposing to meet Tshombe between Jadotville and Kolwezi so that Tshombe could guide Gardiner with three companies of U.N. troops into Kolwezi, thus demonstrating his acceptance of U.N. freedom of movement. (Ibid., 770G.00/1–463)↩
  5. In telegram 1136, January 5, Dean suggested as an alternative to his proposal in telegram 1135 that Gardiner or Mathu fly to Kolwezi, meet Tshombe at the airport, and ask him if he was willing to open the airport to U.N. forces and assist them to maintain law and order by securing Union Miniere facilities. The U.N. representative would leave if Tshombe’s response was negative. (Ibid. 770G.00/1–563)↩
  6. Dated January 4. (Ibid., 770G.00/1–463) For text of the statement, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1962, pp. 919–920.↩
  7. Document 397.↩