Office of the Historian

490. Memorandum From Ulric Haynes of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)1

Washington, November 10, 1965, 7:30 p.m.

McGB

Rhodesian UDI

FYI. The Rhodesian situation has not changed since my Situation Report to you of yesterday. Our Consul General in Salisbury reports today that the “GSR gives more ominous signs than yesterday of being poised, indeed impatient, to take UDI.”

As you requested this morning, I am attaching (Tab A)2 three copies of State’s draft of a proposed Presidential statement in the event of UDI. It has not yet been cleared on the seventh floor, although clearances have been obtained from AF, EUR, IO, and L.

Besides the draft Presidential statement, you might also want to take with you to Texas copies of the following (all attached): [Page 837]

(1)
State’s recommendation to the Secretary for US policy and action when UDI occurs (Tab B). (n.b., As of c.o.b. November 10, this document had not yet been approved by the Secretary.)3
(2)
L’s memo on “Legal Considerations Bearing on Release of Copper from US Stockpiles” (Tab C),4 which concludes that surplus copper can be released to the UK if the President decides that it is in the best interest of the “common defense.” There is good reason to believe, however, that we will not be faced with this problem as alternate overland routes for the export of Zambian copper to the UK appear adequate.
(3)
Copies of the most recent telegrams from London (Tab D)5 containing details of what the UK intends to do when UDI occurs and evaluating the situation.

You will find Tab B most useful for general background purposes as well as for details of what our immediate response to UDI might be.

Rick
  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Rhodesia, Vol. I, Memos and Miscellaneous. Secret. A copy was sent to Komer.↩
  2. Not printed.↩
  3. Tab B is an Action Memorandum from Assistant Secretary Williams to Secretary Rusk dated November 10, not printed. A handwritten notation in the margin of the memorandum printed here reads: “See pp. 5–6.” (AF’s recommendations for action.) The copy of Williams’ memorandum in State Department files bears the handwritten notation: “Overtaken By Events.” (Department of State, Central Files, POL 19 RHOD)↩
  4. Not printed.↩
  5. Not printed.↩