Office of the Historian

449. Memorandum for the Record1

Washington, October 27, 1967.

SUBJECT

  • Minutes of the Meeting of the 303 Committee, 27 October 1967

PRESENT

  • Mr. Rostow, Mr. Kohler, Mr. Nitze, and Mr. Helms
  • Admiral R.L. Taylor was present for all items.
  • Mr. Rolfe Kingsley was present for Item 1.
  • Mr. William Colby was present for Item 2.
  • Assistant Secretary Joseph Palmer, Ambassador William Leonhart, Mr. Archibald Roosevelt and [name not declassified] were present for Item 3.

[Here follows discussion of other subjects.]

[1 heading and 1 paragraph (4 lines) of source text not declassified]

b.
Assistant Secretary Joseph Palmer, 2nd, stated that his impression of Eduardo Mondlane was a favorable one—that the man was pro-West—endogenously in favor of peaceful change, and he had been almost led into insurgency by Portuguese unwillingness to recognize modern times. He further felt that Mondlane’s principal concerns were the secondary education and civil training of his Mozambique brethren.
c.
Former Ambassador to Tanzania William Leonhart reinforced these impressions. He had known Mondlane between 1962 and 1965 and held a good opinion of the man. He reiterated that Mondlane had always hoped for negotiations with the Portuguese and was concerned with bringing the Mozambicans into the 20th century at a time when the Salazar regime kept the province aloof from the political process. He added the independence movement would certainly continue, Mondlane was a force for moderation and that the other African states, so deeply committed to self-determination, would sense any U.S. pro-colonial posture. By continuing support to Frelimo, we would reindorse Mondlane’s pride and affection for the USA, buy some investment in stability for the movement, and keep a better watch on the direction of the struggle.

[2 paragraphs (4 lines) of source text not declassified]

Peter Jessup
  1. Source: Department of State, INR/IL Historical Files, 303 Committee Files, 303 C. 62, November 10, 1967. Secret; Eyes Only. Prepared by Jessup on October 30. Copies were sent to Kohler, Nitze, and Helms.↩