Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXIV, Africa

525. Note From the President’s Deputy Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Komer) to the President’s Special Assistant for National Security Affairs (Bundy)¹

Washington, January 8, 1966.

Mac:

FYI:

According to Mann, Pat Dean said that it would help enormously if we could issue a statement Monday asking our companies not to import asbestos and lithium from Rhodesia. This is apparently a play to back British contention of total embargo at Lagos.

I agreed with Tom that a low-key State announcement to this effect would cause no problem. Our imports are marginal. However, this would bother US Vanadium which has a major chrom mine in Rhodesia. Vanadium fears that if it is then asked to cut off chrom imports, Rhodesians will retaliate by letting the mine flood, at substantial cost. Tom and I thought this contingent problem worth risking.²

RWK

1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Name File, Komer Memos. Secret.
2. A notation in the margin in Bundy’s handwriting reads: “I agree.”