91. Telegram From the Consulate in Elisabethville to the Department of State1
131. Re Deptel 92.2 In conformity with instructions in reference telegram, I discussed major points underlying US position regarding Katangan participation in Parliament with Tshombe yesterday at dinner given by O’Brien and which brought together Tshombe and two ministers, UN officials, university rector and myself. Tshombe responded by indicating his willingness to send parliamentarians provided Summit Conference would be arranged beforehand. Interrogated on conditions for Summit, he stated that O’Brien has now offered to send him letter asking his attendance and offering full guarantees and that this constitutes satisfactory assurance on part of UN. He declined to indicate how soon Summit could take place. I offered services of Embassy Leopoldville in arranging with Kasavubu and others that Summit be held promptly. Tshombe added that he understood voting on House Bureau members was 61 to 57 in favor of extremists.
Earlier in evening I had occasion to present similar arguments to Kiwele3 who expressed understanding of US position and held out hope parliamentarians would eventually be sent.
Still earlier in day British Consul, under orders to make another determined effort to sway Katangans to Western viewpoint, saw Tshombe and after outlining all pertinent arguments, was able establish that Tshombe believed Katanga could sell parliamentarians provided its autonomy recognized beforehand by Congolese leaders, that Tshombe convinced meeting with Kasavubu, Kalonji and hopefully Gizenga would produce such guarantees and that UN could make such meeting possible. Tshombe declined to offer any specific plan for holding Summit.
At yesterday’s dinner, O’Brien carried on where British Consul stopped by telling Tshombe UN prepared to implore him to go to Summit Conference and that O’Brien would today send him letter offering [Page 181] full guarantees for safety. O’Brien told me Tshombe indicated these moves cleared way for Summit meeting but was vague as to whether he himself would attend or would sent Munongo.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 770G.00/7–2961. Confidential; Priority. Received at 4:12 a.m. on July 30. Also sent to Léopoldville and repeated to Brussels, USUN, Paris, and London.↩
- Telegram 92 to Elisabethville (also sent to Brussels), July 27, suggested that it might be convincing to point out to Munongo and Tshombe that their bargaining position would be strong if they agreed to participate in Parliament in a move to circumscribe the Gizengists. Continued refusal to cooperate could have the reverse effect on their position. Canup was instructed, unless he had strong objections, to make these points to Munongo and Tshombe. (Ibid., 770G.00/7–2761)↩
- Katangan “Minister for Education” Joseph Kiwele.↩