Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XIII, Western Europe and Canada

359. Memorandum of Conversation⁰

Washington, September 12, 1963.

SUBJECT

• Ambassador Anderson’s Meeting with The President

PARTICIPANTS

• The President
• George W. Anderson, Ambassador to Portugal

At 10:30 on Thursday, 12 September, I called on the President in anticipation of my departure for Lisbon as United States Ambassador to Portugal.

The President stressed the importance and the difficulties incident to this position at this particular time, complicated as the relations between the two countries are over the Portuguese situation in regard to Africa. The President pointed out the importance of the Azores Base to United States security at this time and the overall position of the United States in regard to the African countries. He stressed the trend of world events which made it necessary in his opinion for the Portuguese to take a positive and affirmative attitude which could be supported by the United States in the United Nations.

I indicated to the President that I recognized the difficulties and the challenge of this particular assignment. I expressed the feeling that in advocating our position to the Portuguese, we were not without assets in our efforts to convince them the change is indeed necessary. The first of these assets is a strong moral position which should have some impact on the Portuguese because basically they are a people who recognize high spiritual values. Secondly, the force of world opinion which will progressively leave the Portuguese in a position of isolation which certainly should have its effect hopefully to the point of transcending their strong emotional considerations. Thirdly, the apprehension that unless the Portuguese do take action leading to self-determination, the inevitability of brutal conflict in Africa which will lead not only to the destruction of property but the loss of many lives of Portuguese people. I also stressed the point that in the event it was possible for the Portuguese to take a position which the United States could fully support in the United Nations and in the World Forum, the Portuguese should know that the United States would use its influence and position to prevent terrorism within the Portuguese territories from being supported from bases in adjacent African states.

The President inquired whether policy would permit me to travel in Africa. I informed him that this was my intention at the earliest practical time provided that it meets the approval of Secretary Rusk. I pointed out that the Portuguese themselves and the Assistant Secretaries in the Department felt that this would be extremely valuable. Hence, it was my hope to make an extensive visit to these critical areas during the coming fall.

I assured the President that I would give my maximum effort to support the United States policies with respect to Portugal, to maintain friendly relations with them and to persuade them that it was in their interest to take an enlightened attitude toward the African problems. The President reiterated the difficulties of the assignment particularly as it affected United States ability to retain our base in the Azores and, therefore, it was important that I submit my best judgment as to the limits the United States could go in the forthcoming discussions in the United Nations without losing the Azores. He said that he did not believe that the Portuguese really wanted us out of the Azores and certainly we wanted to stay, but we had to consider the total picture including the attitudes of all of the African countries. The United States had to use its best influence to support the moderate elements in Africa and to restrain the more radical ones.

The meeting concluded at approximately 1100.

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, Pol Port-US. Confidential. Drafted by Anderson on September 13 and approved by the White House on November 19.