Office of the Historian

412. Memorandum by the Director of the Office of United Nations Political Affairs (Sisco)1

Washington, January 16, 1963, 12:15 p.m.

CURRENT SITUATION IN THE CONGO

USUN has informed us of the following information which they have just received from Bunche.2

1.
Tshombe has agreed to meet the UN in Elisabethville at 11 a.m. tomorrow to discuss UN freedom of movement into Kolwezi. Tshombe plans to fly to Kipushi and then motor by road to Elisabethville. Tshombe has proposed to discuss “modalities.” The Belgians have apparently informed him that the United Nations is prepared to discuss “the manner and time” of entry into Kolwezi.
2.
The United Nations intends to be represented by Sherry (UN Deputy Representative in Elisabethville) and by Prem Chand’s Deputy, an unnamed Irish Brigadier. Ambassador Stevenson apparently pressed Bunche to upgrade the level of military representation so that Prem Chand would be involved, but Bunche resisted.3
3.
According to present plans, Tshombe intends to return to Kolwezi after his discussion with the UN Representatives in Elisabethville, with a view to discussing the freedom of movement with his own people in Kolwezi.
4.
The United Nations hopes that if the discussions with Tshombe on Thursday are successful, it will be possible to make peaceful entry into Kolwezi on Friday.

The above information was also confirmed in a call from Ambassador Stevenson to George McGhee.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/1–1663. Limited Official Use. Copies were sent to Rusk, Kaysen, McGhee, Williams, and Tyler. The source text bears Rusk’s initials, indicating that he saw it.↩
  2. Telegram 2752 from USUN, January 16, provided more details. (Ibid.)↩
  3. A communique issued by Sherry, Prem Chand, and Tshombe on January 17 sets forth the agreements they had reached for the entry into Kolwezi by U.N. forces with Tshombe’s assistance, freedom of movement by U.N. forces throughout Katanga, U.N. assurance of security for members of the gendarmerie, disarmament of the gendarmerie, and removal of mines and other explosives from Kolwezi. For text, see U.N. doc. S/5053/Add.15/Annex IX; also printed in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1963, pp. 651–652.↩