222. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (Williams) to Secretary of State Rusk0
SUBJECT
- Current Key Issues Affecting Our Relations with Africa
Our actions during the next few months on the following current, key issues affecting Africa will be anxiously awaited and carefully assessed by the Africans as indicators of the direction of United States policy under President Johnson.1
Civil Rights in the United States
Our greatest asset in dealing with the Africans has been their conviction that President Kennedy’s Administration was committed to eliminating racial discrimination in this country. The Africans will be looking for early reassurance in both word and deed that the new Administration is equally committed. Passage this year of the civil rights legislation now pending in the Congress would be a major triumph in United States relations with Africa.
[Page 339]Presidential Diplomacy
President Kennedy had established close personal relations with many African leaders including such militant nationalists as Ben Bell a of Algeria, Nkrumah of Ghana and Sekou Toure of Guinea. These relations enabled the late President to apply personal influence on a number of African problems. By deciding to utilize his responses to messages of condolences to emphasize the continuity of United States policy, President Johnson will signal to Africa his willingness to assume these personal relations. The President could further evidence his intentions in connection with Kenya’s impending independence on December 12 by designating the Attorney General to head the United States Delegation to the independence celebrations and by receiving Prime Minister Ken-yatta when the latter comes to the United States on the occasion of Kenya’s admission to the United Nations. The inclusion of African leaders (e.g. President Azikiwe of Nigeria) in the 1964 program of state and official visits would also serve the same purpose.
South Africa
Despite efforts to prevent it, we may be faced in next few days with a critical choice in the United Nations Security Council of (a) abstaining and thereby possibly permitting adoption of an anticipated Afro-Asian resolution of sanctions against South Africa (probably including oil embargo) or (b) casting our first veto in the United Nations on a racial issue. It is of utmost importance that we should not choose the veto which would be interpreted as a major shift of United States policy by the new Administration. We have already lost heavily in United Nations influence by taking the lead in seeking to moderate resolutions aimed at South Africa. The United Kingdom, which has much more at stake in South Africa than the United States, must, if necessary, bear the onus of casting the veto if that is the only way out.
Portuguese Africa
African pressures for progress toward self-determination in Portuguese Africa are becoming stronger and, in terms of votes in the United Nations, more effective. The United States finds it increasingly difficult to play a moderating role between Portugal and the Africans. The latter will shortly place before the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions on Portuguese Africa which will again bring this problem to the fore. Additionally, the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly has invited Henrique Galvao, the hijacker of the Portuguese vessel Santa Maria, to appear before it. Portugal has indicated it will request Galvao’s extradition as a criminal. Our posture on the African resolutions and our handling of the Galvao problem will be closely examined by the Africans for clues as to the new Administration’s position on African nationalism.
[Page 340]Guinea
Guinea is the only African country which went almost all the way to the Bloc and then broke with the Bloc and is moving steadily toward closer relations with the United States. Its government has planned to send a Ministerial delegation to the United States in December to seek economic assistance following the beginning of a retreat from extreme socialism, so as to enable it to continue the healthy liberal economic trend. Since the prestige of President Toure and the moderates in his Government depends on the results of this visit, it is important that we be as responsive as possible to their requests.
Algeria-Morocco
A fragile cease-fire exists along the border between these two North African states. An African solution worked out in meetings at Bamako and Addis Ababa appears to have a reasonable chance to succeed in maintaining the peace. The United States role has been one of impartial efforts to reduce outside intervention and to encourage a solution in an African context. President Kennedy personally intervened to these ends. Should fighting break out again, the ramifications could be serious and prompt United States action, including Presidential messages, may be necessary.
Horn of Africa
The aim of the Somali Republic to unite Somalis living in Ethiopia and Kenya has created serious tension in this area. It is further complicated by Somali acceptance of an offer of Soviet military assistance—an evidence of the persisting Soviet intention to probe targets of opportunity in Africa. President Kennedy in talks with the Emperor of Ethiopia in October emphasized our interest in stability and peace in this area. Our interests justify pursuing actively efforts to find a modus vivendi between Somalia and its neighbors and to reduce the impact of the obvious Soviet interest in fishing in these troubled waters.