Office of the Historian

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

Washington, December 15, 1965, 1 p.m.

McGB:

Situation Report: Rhodesian Crisis

(Sensitive information is bracketed)2

1.
So far, Guinea is the only African state to break diplomatic relations with the UK pursuant to the December 15 OAU deadline.
2.
HMG has told the Tanzanians and Kenyans that it had moved to a position in support of mandatory economic sanctions under Chapter VII and to [Page 867] some form of IBRD presence at Kariba. This probably provoked the Kenyan cancellation of its request for a UNSC meeting and also may account for Tanzania’s silence on a diplomatic break with the UK.
(3.
UK Embassy sources here tell us that HMG has now changed its position in support of Chapter VII economic sanctions. So far, neither Tanzania nor Kenya has been informed. Having altered their respective positions on the strength of the UK’s representations to them, Tanzania and Kenya will undoubtedly feel betrayed. The result will be terrifically intensified problems for the US and UK in trying to keep African responses to UDI in constructive channels. US concern has been relayed to London.)
4.
Zambia is sending a 4-man ministerial mission to London on Sunday to discuss the safeguarding and securing of the Kariba Dam with troops. If talks with the UK fail, the mission will split in two with the Foreign Minister coming to Washington and the Finance Minister going to Moscow for talks on the same subject.
(5.
Wilson has sent word of his approval of an oil embargo and Zambian airlift on our terms. We have replied that UK approval ignores the UK order-in-council upon which the voluntary cooperation of our oil companies is predicated. We have proposed that they announce the order-in-council in London. Whereupon, we would be prepared to make a simultaneous announcement of the details of our support for the UK.)3

(Comment: At present the UK position seems confused. Our understanding of their strategy is hindered by the absolute UK black-out on information regarding the substance of Wilson’s speech to the UNGA tomorrow. We have repeatedly pointed out to the British that their failure to take us into their complete confidence could affect the outcome of the President’s talks with Wilson later this week.)

(The timing of the UK’s reneging on its support of Chapter VII economic sanctions could not be worse: (a) African frustration is at its highest over their inability to comply with the OAU Foreign Ministers’ resolution; (b) Kenya and Tanzania have altered their public positions in reliance on UK assurances; (c) Zambia, a key country, is moving toward a more aggressive stance.)

Addendum. Rhodesian PM Ian Smith is scheduled to appear on CBS’ Face the Nation on December 26th.

Rick
  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Rhodesia, Vol. I. Secret. A copy was sent to Komer.↩
  2. In fact, that information is in parentheses.↩
  3. For text of the December 17 statement issued by the Department of State supporting the British decision to prohibit oil imports into Rhodesia, see American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1965, pp. 693–694.↩