Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–5, Part 1, Documents on Sub-Saharan Africa, 1969–1972

164. Memorandum From Roger Morris of the National Security Council Staff to the Presidentʼs Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)¹ ²

Washington, January 15, 1970

HAK:

The Princess de Bourbon has asked to see you tomorrow about Biafra. She flew out with Ojukwu, and has a message from him for the President. She has been appearing on European TV the last two days with her personal accounts of atrocities and mass starvation. She comes personally recommended by John Kenneth Galbraith and others.

Seeing the Princess could ruffle feelings in Lagos, but that should be manageable if we explain our dilemma to them in advance.

For if we refuse to see her, we will be refusing to hear at least an eye-witness account at a time when the President is deeply concerned and we have very little hard information.

On balance, I recommend you see her—and that we inform Trueheart to tell the Feds we are doing so to avoid embarrassrnent to them as well as us.

Approve [checkmark here]
Disapprove

R Morris

Attachment

Note

Washington, January 15, 1970

Per Roger Morris:

Richardson said we would prefer to have the Princess see Deputy Assistant Moore over here on the grounds that she would still be seen by an authoritative official but would not be as conspicuous and would not get us in trouble with the Federals. She has been making some rather serious charges.

Question is who calls Galbraith? Richardson or Kissinger?

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 742, Country Files, Africa, Nigeria, Vol. I. No classification marking. Kissinger initialed “HK” next to “Approve” but wrote, “(But give Richardson opportunity to object.)” A handwritten note on the attachment, “HAK will call,” indicated Kissinger would explain the situation to Galbraith.
2. Morris recommended that Kissinger see Princess de Bourbon who flew out of Biafra with Lieutenant Colonel Ojukwu, Military Governor of the Eastern Region of Nigeria, and had a message for the President. Kissinger deferred to Richardson, who objected because it could ruffle feelings in Lagos, and arranged for her to meet Deputy Assistant Secretary Moore.