Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXVIII, Southern Africa

11. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon¹

Washington, July 11, 1969.

SUBJECT

• Dean Acheson’s Views on our Consulate in Rhodesia

Dean Acheson gave me the attached paper² on the question of maintaining our Consulate General in Southern Rhodesia. It is interesting reading.

He believes that we should maintain our Consulate there³ for two reasons:

1. Maintaining the Consulate is not recognition of the regime.

2. To end all relations with Rhodesia is contrary to our national interests, since the effect of sanctions against Rhodesia—now that the regime has adopted a constitution which precludes black African majority rule—is to foment race war there.

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 807, Name Files, Acheson, Dean. No classification marking. Sent for information. A stamped notation on the memorandum indicates the President saw it.
2. Dated July 7, attached but not printed.
3. Nixon circled “we should maintain our Consulate there” and wrote “I agree.”