Office of the Historian

345. Telegram From the Department of State to the Resident Consul in Blantyre, Malawi0

Washington, October 17, 1963, 7:20 p.m.

10. Banda-President talk1 covered important subjects also raised with other officials. Banda expressed appreciation to President for moral and financial assistance. AID projects singled out for praise. PM hoped for help for western lake shore highway and Shire River Scheme. President expressed desire to help but raised budgetary problems and could not be too encouraging. Banda countered contention made by Welensky in Washington that Nyasaland not economically viable. Stated that development of rich agricultural potential and local processing would achieve viability. Fight against poverty, ignorance, disease required massive economic development, particularly in agricultural field. Banda expressed concern Bloc activity Dar. Also expressed concern that US and UK not making proper contact with Mozambique nationalists and liberal white Portuguese. In other conversations raised his wish for rail link Vila Cabral as alternate route to ocean. Expressed belief he could get along with Portuguese.

Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 7 RHOD & NYAS. Confidential. Drafted by DuPont on October 16, cleared by Looram and McKesson, and approved by Coote. Repeated to Dar-es-Salaam, Salisbury, Lusaka (by pouch), and Lourenco Marques.↩
  2. The October 10 discussion is recorded in a memorandum of conversation ibid.↩