REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00016846
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: March 16, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 5, 2016
• Case Number: F-2014-02699
• Publication Date: August 25, 1960

Approved for Release: 2016/07/05 C00016846
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY SUMMARY
25 August 1960
REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Congo Premier Lumumba's
abrupt withdrawal of his more
extreme charges against Sec-
retary General HammarskjOld
and the UN Command in the CO/I-
go has forestalled an interna-
tional crisis for the time being.
Lumumba had threatened to de-
mand complete withdrawal of the
UN force.
Lumumba's about-face fol-
lowed a Security Council dis-
cussion in which the majority
voiced support for Hammarskjoldb
policy of noninterference in
the Katang2 dispute. His action
probably stemmed from realiza-
tion of his government' growing
isolation from other African
nations. The USSR withdrew an
anti-Hammarskjold resolution at
the 21 August session when it
failed to gain Asian-African
PART I
support. Soviet ofiicials who
are working closely With the
Congo Government vitl probably .
encourage Lumumba in further anti-
UN and anti-Western Moves which
might receive AfriCan backing.
The USSR had strongly sup-
ported Lumumba immediately
prior to the 21 Augdst UN Secu-
rity Council meeting. In the
forth official Soviet statement,
issued on 20 August; Moscow con-
gratulated the Congolese on their
success so far, and again went
on record with its Standard am-
biguous warning that "peace-lov-
ing countries" would have to
take "other steps" if Belgian
forces were not withdrawn and
alleged plans to "dismember"
the Congo were not abandoned.
The statement contained
Moscow's first reference to
OF IMMEDIATE INTEREST
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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY Sill/MARY
25 August 1960
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
!,Coouflhatvffle
CCNGO
REPUBLIC
eStan
� y . .. c, THE CONGO �..
srazzavinee 7). i'
.., ./..Leonoidville
CAMNDA' .
(719iona
25 AUGUST 1960
o mites 200
UNCLASSIFIED
3005
"volunteers,"" a "flood" of
which'could come from among
"loyal friends" on other con-
tinents is well as from African
countries if additioal NATO .
. units are sent to the conso.
.The Congo On 2S August rejected
Soviet military help, however,
stating it does not need such
Volunteers from foreign coun-
tries. . The USSR's belated
reference to the possibility
of volunteers is reminiscent:
of its Similar threat during
.Luluaburg
.SUDAN
Bukavti
EUab�viUi
UGANDA
RUANDA
-URUNDI
FEDERATION OF-RHODEMA
AND NYASALAND
the Suez crisis--isSued four
days after the Anglo-French
cease-fire was announced.
Soviet delegate Kuznetsov
on 20 August offiCially demanded
the withdrawal of Canadian troops
from the Congo, and Idelivered a
statement to HammarSkjold pro-
testing as "completely inadmis-
sible" his plan fora civilian
UN administration tO give tech-
nical and administrative as-
sistance to the Congo Government.
OF I1MEDIATE INTEREST
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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY SUMMARY
25 August 1960
roscow, alleging that the
US and its allies would occupy
posts which have a "key signifi-
cance" for the economy and all
vital activities of the country,
objected to the exclusion of
Eastern European experts from
among the 65 envisaged in the
plan and to the alleged rele-
gation of African personnel to
"second-rate posts," and charged
such a plan would subordinate
the future development of the
Congo to American interests and
could become a "dangerous
precedent."
Despite his setback in
the UN, Lumumba probably will
return to the offensive. Al-
though Brussels has announced
that its remaining troops in
the Congo will be withdrawn by
30 August, the Belgir.ns reported-
ly plan to leave behind A token
force of "technicians." Brussels'
insistence that the final status
of its bases should be the sub-
ject of bilateral negotiations
with the Congo Government may
provide Lumumba with his next
issue.
Meanwhile,'Lumumba prob-
ably hopes to develop a Congo-
lese Army, both as an internal
security force and as a means
by which to force his way into
Katanga. On 23 and 24 August
he airlifted between 600 and
1,000 Congolese soldiers to Kasai
Province, ostensibly to curb '
the tribal warfare vaich once
again has flared between the
Lulua and Baluba tribes. Lu-
mumba probably hopes, however,
that by establishing a pres-
ence in Kasai he can prevent
the establishment by anti-Lu-
mumba Congolese of a separate
province in southern Kasai.
There is also a possibility that
this is the opening move for
military aCtion against
Katanga.
PART I
Lumumba's most recent step
to restore the once-effective
Force Publique has been to ap-
point Moroccan General Kettani,
deputy commander of the UN com-
mand, as his "adviser" in organ-
izing an army. Kettani appears
to have been made available by
Hammarskjold as a means of
bringing the UN Command and
the Congolese Army into closer
coordination. There are press
reports that the over-all UN
force commander, General von
Horn, may be replaced by a
Finnish officer, General A.B.
Martola, who played An im-
portant role in organizing the
UNEF during the Suez crisis.
Lumumba continUes to
mainifest uneasiness in his
handling of internal affairs.
A meeting in Elisabethville of
anti-Lumumba Congolese from
several.provinces was followed
by new arrests Of: Belgian "spies"
in Leopoldville and by the
closing down of testy service
between Leopoldville and Brazza-
ville. Lumumba's fears of
collusion between. Tihombe and
President Youlou of.hthe former
French Congo were intensified
when a Belgian airliner which
Made a forced landing at Lulua-
bourg on 21 August Was found
to be carrying Abak0 officials
from Brazzaville to Prshombe.'s
council of war in Elisabethville.
Opposition to Lumumba in
the Leopoldville area remains
sporadic and ill defined. The
Congo Senate continues to be a
focal point for criticism of
the regime,but in a;governmental
crisis it would probably be
closed down by LumuMba. The
Secessionist Abako has resumed
its criticism of LuMumba, but
appears hamstrung bit the con-
tinued support of LUmumba by
Abako and Congo President
Joseph Kasavubu.
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"Pr
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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY SUMMARY
25 August 1960
A Canadian engineer in
Leopoldville has indicated to
the American Embassy his con-
cern over the presence of an
estimated 60 Soviet and satel-
lite technical Personnel in
Leopoliville, which would prob-
ably include doctors, medical
technicians, and aircrew mem-
bers. The number of such per-
sonnel increased 'following
the arrival at Matadi on 22 Au-
gust of the Soviet vessel
Arkhangelsk with 100 trucks and
an undisclosed number of tech-
nicians aboard. According to
a Congolese official, Lumumba
is expected to ask for and re-
ceive in the immediate future
Czech teachers for Congolese
schools. i
PART I OF IMMEDIATE INTEREST
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