EUR ICONFIDENTIAL ley sj D 'U R 6 n lind Olfirr DEPARTMENT OF STATE M moranJum 01 J- f L - I r GBP t If I 7Nj' d 0 Conv rsat on DATE 12 14 60 SUBJECT v PARTICIPANTS @ The Irish Ambassador Charles E Bohlen Acting Asst Secretary IO Woodruff Wallner Deputy Asst Secretary 10 WIn T Nunley EUR m 8 @ COPIES TO EOR UNP BRA ' W r 0 - 0 RA AF INR S AE fI YSlW Awmrhassy 1AI lm - DEC 21 1960 I 1'- If S 1 I The Irish Ambassador called at his request to discuss two subjects the Irish disarmament resolution and the Congo situation With respect to the former the Ambassador stated that the Irish Foreign Minister Mr Aiken continues to believe strongly in the utility of the resolution designed to prevent a further dissemination of nuclear weapons He hopes ' this resolution will come to a vote shortly He has been encou aged by the Canadian decision to support the resolution and hopes that the U S will also change its attitude The Ambassador then inquired as to Hledifficulties which prevent the U S from supporting the ' reso1ufion Mr Bohlen pointed out the difficulties confronting the r-- U in connection with unenforceable declaratory resolutions on disarmament using the nuclear testing resolution as a princip example Mr Bohlen also indicated that the Irish resolution mig be interpreted as barring our program for a NATO nuclear stockpilelJ despite the fact that this NATO program does not actually call for the liIissemination of weapons among non-nuclear powers L o - - CONFIDENTIAL 3 ft'$ rcc d in II - DECLASSIFIED Authorit Z3' I S't1 ____ - - - - _ - 1 CONFIDENTIAL supporting The Ambassador then suggested that the Soviets may be the resolution in order to have an excuse for refusing nuclear weapons to the Chinese communists that this might be the case Mr Bohlen agreed The Irish Ambassador then raised the Congo problem indicating that Foreign Minister Aiken is seriously disturbed about the failure of President Kasavubu to establish an effective government with a sound legal basis He reported that even such friendly countries as Tunisia and Nigeria had been gravely disturbed by the lack of stability in the Congo and by the reports that Kasavubu is actually under Mobutu's thumb The Ambessador also said the Irish Government is curious as to the source of Mobutu's financial support and reported a rumor to the effect that Mobutu is being financed by mining interests in the Katanga Province Mr Bohlen said that it is very difficult to trace such funds but added that there is no reason to believe that Mobutu lacks access to Congolese Government funds With regard to the general situation Mr Bohlen agreed that the situation is disturbing and said it is constantly on our minds We have advised Kasavubu strongly to establish a regular provisional government pending the re-establishment of order and the reconvening of Parliament However the situation is very confused there are few able people to work with and many of the leaders find it easier to follow through The U S shares Foreign Minister Aiken's view of the need for action and the U S is working in that direction but the process will be slow and painful Mr Wallner observed that the Belgian role in the current Congo difficulties has probably been exaggerated and that these difficulties have resulted in large part from the fact that UN contingents from other countries have not been truly impartial On the contrary they have interfered repeatedly in the Congo's internal affairs and have thus engendered considerable suspicion on the part of Kasavubu and Mobutu DECLASSIFIED i Authority'Z ' S17 Il I COIlIDJRTIfL I This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu