Office of the Historian

124. Telegram From the Consulate General in Mozambique to the Department of State1

Lourenco Marques, August 20, 1975, 1030Z.

899. Subject: Mozambique–U.S. Relations. Ref: Lourenco Marques 860.2

1.

We received the following letter addressed to Consul General Peter C. Walker from GPRM Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Quote The [Page 299] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of Mozambique, in face of your letter of August 12, 1975, would like to remind you that: 1—Your consular functions in the Mozambican territory have ceased as from the 24th June 1975. 2—The People’s Republic of Mozambique does not recognize any representation of the Government of the United States of America in Mozambique until such time when diplomatic or consular relations will be established be-tween the United States of America and the People’s Republic of Mozambique.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly demands your office to immediately stop any consular business which it might be undertaking.

None of the consular representatives of the United States of America who were in Mozambique before the 25th of June 1975 are allowed to continue representing their government in Mozambique.

Therefore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises them to leave the country as soon as possible: Lourenco Marques, 15th June 1975 (sic) initial illegible. End quote.

2.
Letter referred to in para 1 is that delivered per reftel on Walker departure.
3.

If we interpret last paragraph correctly GPRM is instructing all U.S. officers who were in Mozambique prior to June 25 (all of us) to depart soonest, although no deadline given. We will attempt to obtain clarification through Senator Clark if he is received by high level GPRM officials. Otherwise, propose sending letter to Foreign Minister Chissano as follows: Quote We acknowledge receipt of letter 259/75 from your Ministry dated June 15 addressed to Mr. Peter C. Walker, who departed Mozambique August 19.

In view of the serious implications of the letter for U.S.–Mozambique relations, we would appreciate clarification of the last two paragraphs of the letter requesting the departure of U.S. consular representatives who were in Mozambique prior to June 25, 1975. Specifically, we wish to know whether this is a request for the departure of all American staff members of our official mission in Mozambique, every one of whom was in Lourenco Marques prior to June 25, or only those who were specifically given consular exequatur by the Portuguese Government.

Sincerely, Randolph Reed. End quote.

4.
If interpretation para 3 correct, we recommend evacuating all American staff and their effects overland to South Africa. We would seek GPRM escort of vans and other vehicles which AmEmbassy Pretoria may be able to arrange to pick us up.
5.
We are proceeding to destroy files.
6.
Request instructions soonest.3
Reed
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files. Confidential; Niact Immediate. Repeated Immediate to Blantyre, Dar es Salaam, Lisbon, London, Lusaka, Mbabane, and Pretoria, and repeated to Gaborone, USUN, CINCLANT for POLAD, and CINCEUR.↩
  2. In telegram 860 from Lourenco Marques, August 12, Consul General Peter Walker informed the Department that he had told Chissano in a letter of his imminent departure and named his deputy, Randolph Reed, as the new senior representative in Mozambique. (Ibid.)↩
  3. In telegram 918 from Lourenco Marques, August 22, Reed reported on a dinner meeting between Senator Clark and Chissano. The Foreign Minister said that Mozambique “expected all the top consular personnel (Codel interpreted this to mean Consul General) to depart prior to independence and that replacement should not be sent until agreement on diplomatic or consular relations reached with new GPRM government.” Chissano informed Clark that he was working on documents to establish diplomatic relations with the United States. (Ibid.) The United States and Mozambique established diplomatic relations on September 23, and the Embassy was opened on November 8.↩