246. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Ghana1
541. Request you deliver before March 21 to President Nkrumah the following message from President:
Verbatim Text
“Dear Mr. President
Your Ambassador has conveyed to me your letter of February 26, 1964,2 and we discussed it in the same spirit of frankness in which it was written. It is my sincere hope that you and I will be able to create together the same kind of open and direct relationship you had with President [Page 434] Kennedy. I appreciate your expression of regret over the recent incidents in Accra, and your affirmation of nonalignment as the policy of your Government.
In turn, may I assure you that there is no basis in fact for the allegation that the CIA is carrying on subversive activities in Ghana or attempting to impair the good relations between our governments. If at any time you should have further doubts on this score, I would like you to communicate directly with me.
We fully share your desire to see Ghana prosperous, stable, and independent, and our policy towards Ghana has from the start been directed toward working with you to attain these goals. We fully understand your policy that in achieving these objectives Ghana is determined to remain unaligned in its relations with other countries.
We concur that foreign private investment can be of crucial help to Ghana’s economic progress both now and in the years to come. As you know, we are contributing as a Government and as private citizens to the development of Ghana. We are therefore naturally deeply concerned when these positive efforts are jeopardized by actions and propaganda that serve no apparent purpose other than to damage our relations.
A great deal remains to be done if we are to establish the climate of mutual respect and understanding that is essential if we are to work together in friendship and good will. I am sure you will agree with the importance of this task. In this connection, I have asked Governor Averell Harriman to visit Accra for discussions with you. I am also pleased that Ambassador Mahoney, who has my complete confidence, will be seeing you regularly for frank talks about common problems.
I should like to take this opportunity to extend to you and to the people of Ghana my sincere good wishes and those of the people of the United States for happiness and prosperity as your country enters the seventh year of its independence.
Sincerely, Lyndon B. Johnson”
End Text.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15–1 US/Johnson. Confidential; Limdis. Drafted at the White House, cleared by Dorros, and approved for transmission by Marion A. Baldwin of S/S.↩
- Documents 243 and 245.↩