91. Telegram 2581 From the Mission to the European Office of the United Nations to the Department of State1 2
Paris for Amb Ferguson (Notify at Hotel Crillon)
The following is a [garble] press release dated Owerri, July 23. Quote: Title: Open letter from the Biafran Government to Professor C. Clyde Ferguson with reference to statement by Secretary of State, William Rogers.
“The Biafran government has noted with appreciation the continuing interest showed by the American Government on the question of providing relief to alleviate the sufferings of Biafran victims of Nigeriaʼs war of genocide and, in particular, the recent statement made by Secretary of State, William Rogers, on the subject.
The Biafran government wishes to indicate its complete agreement with the three fundamental concepts enunciated in Secretary of State, William Rogersʼ statement:”
“First, that the provision by the international community on assistance to both sides in a war should have international participation to assure that it is administered for the [Page 2] benefit of the civilian victims of the war.
Secondly, that the relief be transported and distributed in ways that convey no military advantage or incur no military liability to either side.
Thirdly, that the parties to the conflict refrain from exploiting relief issues for partisan, political and propaganda purposes.
“The Biafran government wishes to reaffirm its acceptance in principle to day/night relief flights with daylight operations to Uli airport commencing immediately. Effective international or other third party guarantees have also been agreed. The Biafran government also wishes to reaffirm its continued acceptance in principle of the surface route (Cross River) proposed by Professor Ferguson in March and accepted by the Biafran government on that occasion.
The Biafran government wishes to recall that during his visit to Biafra last March, it was clearly understood and accepted by Professor Ferguson on behalf of the US Government that neither Lagos nor any Nigerian held airport should be used as staging post for bringing relief by air. Calabar and Lagos were also ruled out for the surface route operations as agreement was reached to use Cotonou or a ship anchored in mid-ocean from which relief could be transported by barges or helicopter.
The Biafran government wishes to emphasize that it has always been willing to let Nigerian representatives inspect the relief material at staging posts outside Nigeria, such as Cotonou and Santa Isabel so as to assure themselves that they are genuine Biafra still stand by this. There can be no question, therefore, of Biafra accepting relief coming from or touching down on any Nigerian held territory. The Biafran government expects for that, in fairness, Biafran representatives will have the same right, to inspect relief going into Nigeria.
It is well known that the shortest and most economical route for relief to come direct into Biafra from these neutral staging posts. To channel or divert them to Nigeria would be to offer them political and military advantages which is in conflict with [Page 3] two the fundamental concepts enunciated by Secretary of State, William Rogers, and accepted by the Biafran government as indicated above. On this score, the first proposal in Secretary of State, William Rogersʼ subsequent four-point approach for a Nigerian staging base fails to meet the test of neutrality and earlier undertaking that relief should not be used to confer military/political advantage or disadvantage to either side.
The Biafran people and government, however, remain grateful for all the efforts made by the American people and the US administration in this regard and is willing, as before, to enter into discussions to facilitate increased relief supplies. Unquote. Decon on receipt.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 27–9 Biafra-Nigeria. Limited Official Use; Immediate. Also sent to Paris and USUN. Repeated priority to Lagos. Also repeated to London and The Hague.↩
- The Mission transmitted the Biafran Governmentʼs open letter to Special Coordinator Clyde Ferguson suggesting acceptance of Secretary of State Rogersʼ statement on relief. Biafra accepted day and night relief flights, day flights to commence immediately, and the Cross River proposal. The letter went on, however, to impose conditions that negated acceptance of the proposals.↩