No U.N. Clash In Katanga Expected

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29268, 28 July 1960, Page 15

No U.N. Clash In Katanga Expected

(Rec. 10 p.m.) LEOPOLDVILLE, July 27. United Nations troops will move into Katanga province, which has seceded from the Congo Republic, only when there has been an agreement for the orderly evacuation of Belgian forces, who are there at the invitation of the Katanga Premier, Mr Moise Tshombe.

This was made clear today by the commander of the United Nations forces in the Congo, Major-General Carl von Horn, who said the question of Katanga appeared to be part of the Congo problem as a whole as far as United Nations troops were concerned. But he denied a statement attributed to him that the United Nations forces would be used to “evict” Belgian soldiers from Katanga or to reinforce them in keeping order there. Mr Tshombe has opened the way to a political settlement by suggesting that Katanga, which has declared its independence, join in a Congo federation, retaining autonomy in several spheres. There is considerable doubt here, however, whether Mr Patrice Lumumba, the Prime Minister of the Central Government, would be prepared to negotiate with Mr Tshombe through the United Nations on anything less than the complete "surrender” of the Katanga regime. General Victor Lundula, the former Congolese sergeant-major who is now tead of the young republic’s Army, and who was arrested in Katanga earlier this month, had been released and was back in Leopoldville, it was reported today. Security authorities in Katanga announced General Lundula’s arrest on July 17- General Lundula was said to have told diplomats in Leopoldville that he was freed yesterday morning and showed them a document which one diplomat described as “virtuaUy an expulsion order” from Katanga. Dr. Ralph Bunche, special envoy of the United Nations in Leopoldville, lodged a request with the Belgian authorities several days ago for General Lundula's release to be speeded up. Belgian Troops In Action

In Brussels today it was reported by the Defence Ministry that 80 Belgian paratroops were dropped on Tshikapa, south of Luluabourg in the central Kasai province of the Congo, yesterday when tribesmen swarmed into European settlements there. Tshikapa is the centre of a diamond mining industry. The Defence Ministry said there were no casualties. The Defence Ministry said the United Nations commander in Luluabourg realised the "gravity” of the position and decided to send his troops by road. The

local Belgian commander decided their arrival would be too late, and after warning the United Nations commander, sent 80 paratroops to Tshikapa. The Ministry said the mission of the Belgian troops was to remain there until United Nations soldiers had the situation in hand. Belgian paratroops at present control the town and its airport. The Congo Minister of Finance (Mr Pascal Nkayi) has reported that the country’s Treasury is empty. There was not enough money to pay next month’s salaries to civil servants, amounting to about £2,900,000, he said. “Within a few days the troubles have produced an almost total stoppage of economic life- and general paralysis of administrative services, accompanied by a disastrous increase in unemployment," he said. “Unless commercial life is re-established the Congolese State will not be in a position to face its obligations.