Office of the Historian

461. Telegram From the Department of State to the Consulate General in Southern Rhodesia1

Washington, May 6, 1965, 6:36 p.m.

754. Urtel 712 rptd 193 London, 47 USUN.2 For McClelland from Williams. Offensive SRG Aide-Memoire3 should be returned soonest through same channels as received. No written record your oral statement [Page 796] to be transmitted to avoid possibility publication later. Return of document coupled with US statement UNSC May 6 on non-recognition SRG in case UDI may have beneficial effect in correcting SRG illusions re USG policy toward SR and reaction to UDI.

Drawing on Deptel 737,4 last para Deptel 738 and five points comment your A–676,5 you should stress USG shock, regret and irritation at inaccuracies, unrealistic tone, intemperate and undiplomatic phrasing and offensive lecturing tenor of document. US has repeatedly attempted to make SRG see error of ways, most recently in my talks with Bennett6 on his departure and with Lord Graham7 during visit Washington. Other Deptoffs have engaged in running dialogue with Towsey8 and Congenoffs have expressed USG position clearly to SRG. You should state firmly USG hopes SRG will have no further illusions re USG policy toward SR in its desire for peaceful, mutually acceptable agreement on SR future between HMG and SRG.

Rusk
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, DEF 12–5 RHOD. Secret; Priority. Drafted by William C. Kinsey of AFE, cleared by Judd, and approved by Williams. Repeated to London, USUN, and Lusaka.↩
  2. Dated April 30. (Ibid.)↩
  3. Airgram A–676 from Salisbury, April 15, transmitted the April 14 aide-memoire, which formally protested the U.S. Government refusal to sell T–28 aircraft to Rhodesia. (Ibid.)↩
  4. Telegram 6941 to London, sent as telegram 737 to Salisbury, April 30, instructed Charge Philip Kaiser to meet with Rhodesia’s Minister in Washington, who was in London, and stress the seriousness with which the United States viewed current Rhodesian developments and the “particularly offensive” Rhodesian aide-memoire. (Ibid.)↩
  5. Telegram 738 to Salisbury, April 30, and airgram A–676 from Salisbury, April 15. (Ibid.)↩
  6. Rhodesian Minister in Washington, Oliver Bennett.↩
  7. Rhodesian Minister of Agriculture, Lord Graham.↩
  8. Rhodesian Counselor in Washington, Kenneth Towsey.↩