Office of the Historian

375. Memorandum From Harold H. Saunders of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)1

Washington, December 24, 1964.

McGB:

State is more relaxed this morning about the possibility of new military outbreaks which we had feared might take place in the next couple of days in the Congo. However, the situation in Bukavu is still serious and Rusk has told his people to do as much as possible to get the missionaries out of the area lest we lose more hostages to the rebels.

In New York Usher has just received instructions from Houphouet-Boigny to table a resolution including the cease-fire if he thinks he has eight SC votes.2 So he will probably go ahead today. But there’s little hope of a vote before Monday.3

Spaak wants to have a NATO Council meeting on Jan. 5 before he sees Tshombe again. Harriman has volunteered to go so we’re beginning to put together the points he should hit Spaak with.

H.
  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Congo, Vol. X, Memos & Miscellaneous, 12/64. Confidential.↩
  2. In telegram 2512 from Leopoldville, December 25, Godley reported that he discussed the proposed resolution with Tshombe, noting that its key point was its call for a cease-fire. He pointed out that although the ANC had now achieved victory, it faced the probability of substantial military reverses in the near future if the supply of arms to the rebels was not stopped. The U.S. Government thought that the cease-fire would make it possible to stop aid to the rebels by establishing OAU and U.N. inspection machinery. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, POL 23–9 THE CONGO)↩
  3. December 28.↩