602. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in South Africa1
111. Joint State-Defense message. Re: Visit USS Independence (Capetown’s 129).2 Appreciate SAG clearance of visit USS Independence. Number of flights from Independence to Capetown involving landing onshore will be few, and generally limited to those necessary to assure in advance of Independence docking all necessary actions have been taken to facilitate mooring of ship, handling mail, etc.
[Page 1022]In informing SAG of foregoing, however, you should indicate to Duplooy USG cannot accept any stipulation regarding utilization crew members including any which would result in racial segregation. If SAG should make such a condition of visits US will have to plan its Naval operations to exclude calls in Republic.
Ship’s aircraft including helicopters will of course refrain from taking photographs of military establishments and their immediate environment in Cape peninsula area as requested.
Further details should be handled by Embassy Naval Attache through establishment channels, as indicated Deptel 67.3
FYI. We recognize visit of vessel such as Independence bound stimulate public interest, as noted Embassy’s 130.4 Will provide press guidance as soon as possible.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 7 S AFR–US. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Meyers; cleared by Captain Coward in OPNAV, Williams, and Hooper; and approved by Kitchen. Sent to Cape Town, and repeated to Pretoria.↩
- Dated April 7. (Ibid.)↩
- Dated February 25. (Ibid.)↩
- Dated April 8. (Ibid.)↩