458. Memorandum of Conversation1
SUBJECT
- Effect on Zambia of a Rhodesian Unilateral Declaration of Independence
- PARTICIPANTS
- The Under Secretary
- Zambian Foreign Minister Simon Kapwepwe
- Zambian Ambassador J.H. Soko
- Edward Mulcahy, Acting Director, AFE
- Seymour Chalfin, OIC, Malawi, Rhodesian and Zambian Affairs
After the usual greetings, Mr. Kapwepwe said that he had spent Monday and Tuesday in London. After talks between Prime Minister Wilson and Prime Minister Kaunda, the latter had decided to send Mr. Kapwepwe and Finance Minister Arthur Wina to the United States; however, Mr. Wina was unable to come because he had other important matters to take care of.
Rhodesian Independence Threat
The Foreign Minister explained that his principal mission on his present visit to Washington was to prepare the way for President Kaunda’s talks with the United States Government.2 He had one urgent subject to discuss. This concerned Southern Rhodesia. The Zambians are convinced that Rhodesia is determined to go ahead with a unilateral declaration of independence (UDI). HMG is totally against such a step, and the Zambians are assured that the British will do everything in their power to stop it either through negotiations or by economic boycott. The Rhodesian Government, Mr. Kapwepwe said, has started building detention camps for Europeans who are opposed to UDI. When these camps are ready, Rhodesian authorities will start arresting these Europeans and go on to imprison African nationalists as well. In all likelihood, the Rhodesian “round-up” will include European business men, Indians and even unsympathetic army officers. Unfortunately, HMG will probably not be able to stop a Rhodesian seizure of independence.
Consequences for Zambia
With this strong likelihood of UDI, continued Mr. Kapwepwe, the Zambians have begun to consider what is likely to be the consequences [Page 791] for their country. The Zambian Government firmly believes that the Rhodesian Government intends to: 1) close down electrical power from the Kariba Dam; 2) shut off the coal supply to Zambia’s copper mines; and 3) deprive Zambia of railroad facilities for the shipment of copper,
Asked why Rhodesia should take such steps, Kapwepwe replied that it was probably due to Zambia’s political stand vis-a-vis Rhodesia.
Continuing with his recitation on the consequences to Zambia of the above Rhodesian actions, Kapwepwe opined that they could probably get electricity from the Congo but they see no substitute sources for coal. If coal supplies are cut off, the copper mines will have to shut down. In this event, the Zambians fear that the world copper market will be completely upset. Copper prices would rise and force consumers to use aluminum instead. This would be a permanent and disastrous loss to the Zambian economy. There would also be, in the event of the closure of the copper mines, a complete discharge of labor which presently comes not only from Zambia but as well from Tanzania, Angola, Mozambique, Rhodesia, Malawi and the Congo. Others who would suffer, Kapwepwe continued, are overseas investors in the copper industry and the World Bank to which Zambia would have to default on its loan payments arising from the Kariba Dam.
Given the magnitude of this threat to Zambia’s life blood, said Kapwepwe, they are approaching the United States to see whether we can exert influence on the Rhodesians to desist from their course. The Zambians are also convinced that South Africa is encouraging Rhodesia to hurt Zambia. Possibly the United States can express its displeasure to South Africa on this score.
British Undertake to Help
Asked by Mr. Ball about the attitudes of the copper companies to the situation, Kapwepwe referred to conversations which Prime Minister Kaunda had had in London with Sir Ronald Prain, Chairman of the Board of Rhodesian Selection Trust. According to Kapwepwe, Sir Ronald feels that Rhodesia is determined to go ahead with UDI. He further added that HMG and the United States Government are not doing all they can to dissuade Rhodesia away from this path. Sir Ronald came up with a suggestion that the problem of coal supplies might be partially met by sending British coal through Tanzania. The route would be through Suez to Tanganyika and to the Lake Tanganyika port of Kigoma and across the lake to the Zambia port of Abercorn. However, this would require very complicated, expensive and time-consuming arrangements.
Kapwepwe went on to say that the copper mines have tried to stock-pile as much Rhodesian coal as possible but the Rhodesians have been limiting supplies to one month’s requirement. This is a further sign of Rhodesia’s intentions.
[Page 792]US Will Discuss with Kaunda
Under Secretary Ball concluded the meeting by saying that all this is a most disturbing prospect. The United States would study the problems further in preparation for its discussions with President Kaunda. We would also consult with the British. We recognize that copper is a life and death matter for Zambia and would approach the situation sympathetically and look for ways to help out. It would be of great assistance, he added, if we could have some idea of the magnitude of coal, electricity and copper shipments.
Mr. Ball asked whether Mr. Kapwepwe had any other topics to discuss. He replied that he was leaving everything else to President Kaunda who, he believes, would like to raise questions on the Congo and US technical assistance. Mr. Ball added that we are anxious to discuss the Congo problem.
Note: During a brief absence of the Under Secretary, Mr. Mulcahy asked the Foreign Minister whether his government planned to give a haven to a Rhodesian nationalist government-in-exile should UDI occur. The Minister made it plain that the Zambian Government had no such intention; indeed, they had talked to the ZAPU leaders, Nyandoro, Chikerema, to convince them of the expense and folly of such a move.
- Source: Department of State, Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 65 D 330, November 1964. Confidential. Drafted by Chalfin on November on November 23, cleared by Mulcahy, and approved in U on November 25.↩
- Documentation on Kaunda’s visit, November 30–December 2, is in the Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Zambia, Kaunda Visit, 11/30–12/2/64.↩