Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Africa, Volume XIV

268. Telegram From the Mission at the United Nations to the Department of State⁰

New York, November 25, 1960, 9 p.m.

1527. Congo.

1. Fol mtg with SYG reported USUN 1526¹ Barco saw Kasavubu in accordance Deptel 971.² He made presentation along fol lines:

2. SecState asked me call on you to express our pleasure at your seating by GA and discuss what next steps might be to help yourself and Congo. We spoke to SYG this morning to urge he work closely with you and your supporters in Congo. We told him we thought you needed time in Congo before any conciliation group is sent by UN. We also told him US continues support UN effort in Congo. We think your victory in being seated here presents new opportunities which must be pursued. We think it most important there be political progress in Congo. We have noted with satisfaction your intention convoke round table conference. We hope Katanga and Kasai reps might attend and hope you will consider personal initiative with Tshombe to this purpose. We hope conference could be followed at appropriate time by move to reconvene representative organs of country to endorse either government or new constitutional framework. Of even more immediate importance, we feel, is need for you to establish full control over army and assure it acts with responsibility and under discipline. Now that you been recognized by UN as Chief of State, UN will look to you as being responsible for actions army. As you know, we defended army’s actions against Welbeck in GA. While understanding emotions aroused, however, will be difficult defend other actions taken since then against UN personnel, and such actions can make it difficult hold for you from other governments [sic]. We believe it most important relations between UN and you be cordial and hope you will work to that end. We have said same to SYG. We believe you should discuss differences with UN frankly with SYG with view to reaching solutions. We believe if cooperation can be brought about between UN and you, UN will prove be helpful in achieving objectives for which you stand in Congo.

3. Kasavubu expressed appreciation US support getting his del seated and said he leaving Cardoso and Badibanga here to represent him and sit for Congo.

4. He said he had spoken to SYG twice about Dayal and believed SYG understood his position. He reiterated Dayal should be removed. He said everything had been fine with Bunche but things started to go badly when Dayal came. (Ormsby-Gore (UK) met Kasavubu just before we did. We talked briefly with him following his meeting with Kasavubu and asked if anything had arisen concerning Dayal. Ormsby-Gore said nothing had come up, but just previously he had had meeting with Hammarskjold who had said that Dayal and Kasavubu now saw eye to eye.)

5. Kasavubu agreed to UN conciliation in principle but people in Congo had to be prepared for it and this would be difficult task. UN conciliation effort should be to help Congolese, not to try to impose solutions.

6. Tshombe had already been invited to round-table conference. He expected conference to produce new constitution; Loi Fondamentale did not fit Congo needs. (At lunch Kasavubu told Mrs. Lord³ Belgians still trying to persuade Tshombe not to deal with him and insist on independence.)

7. UN in Congo had not in past cooperated with Congolese enough but had attempted to take over. He said “UN wants to do everything itself”. UN role was to help Congolese. There could not be two armies in Congo under separate commanders, for example. UN should help Congolese Army establish order. He also referred to UN interference with Mandat d’Arret (Lumumba). (Earlier Bomboko told us Lumumba be allowed attend round-table as deputy but only if he abandoned claim to be PM.)

8. He agreed about supremacy civil over military authority and said this was provided for under Loi Fondamentale.

9. We had very good impression of Kasavubu. He saw us alone. He was soft-spoken but more forthcoming than he seems to be generally regarded as being. (From what Ormsby-Gore and Moore (UK) told us, they had pleasant but much less informative discussion.) In our opinion he has clear views as to what he wants done and has not been shaken from them here even though large number of people, including SYG to some extent, have tried to do so.

Wadsworth

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/11–2560. Secret; Priority. Repeated priority to Léopoldville and Brussels.
1. Document 267.
2. Document 266.
3. Mrs. Oswald B. Lord was a member of the U.S. Delegation to the United Nations.