Evening star., 1963-01-06
Katdnga Fight
StaIIed;;Ta|ks
Seen Possible

LEOPOLDVILLE, The Con-
go, Jan. 5 (AP) The war in
Katanga stalled today, clear
ing the air for possible peace
talks. A Katangan official said
Belgian and British diplomats
are trying to persude President
Noise Tshombe to meet U. N.
representatives in Elisabeth
vile.
A high-ranking U. N. officer
in Elisabethville said the U. N.
forces had halted their drive
toward Mr.. Tshombe's war
headquarters in Kolwezi until
the political situation crystal
ICES" Mr.. Tshombe's forces,
meanwhile, were reported re-
grouping and rearming in Kol-
wezi with supplies from Portu-
guese Angola.
In Ndola, Northern Rhodesia,
the acting representative for
Katanga, Jean TaSniez, said
that as result of intercession
by British and Belgian consuls
in Elisabethville there was a
possibility Mr.. Tshombe would
return this week end to the
Katangan capital.
Diplomatic sources at the
United Nations in New York
reported the Belgian Consulate
in Elisabethville had hired a
small plane to fly Mr.. Tshombe
from Kolwezi whenever he de-
cides to talk about ending his
session and accepting the role
of provincial administrator.
In Touch by Radio
Mr.. Tasniez said the consuls
we're in touch with Mr.. Tshom-
be by radio. The Katangan
leader has had close ties with
British and Belgian diplomats
throughout the two years he
has kept his mineral-rich prov
ince independent from the CEN
trail Congo government.
There were signs the United
States would oppose a return
of Mr.. Tshombe to Elisabeth
vile for talks unless he
promised to repudiate the
further use Of force. There
we're fears in Washington the
Belgians and British would
have Mr.. Tshombe return on
whatever terms they can make
with him.
In Palm Beach, Fla, Secre-
tary of State Dean Rusk came
out Of a meeting with President
Kennedy saying, II think
there's a real chance of getting
a quick settlement in the Con-
60" He indicated, however,
that the United States wants
Mr.. Tshombe first to make good
on his word that he is satisfied
with a U. N. plan for unifying
the Congo.
In Washington, United States
officials said the United States
would welcome Mr.. Tshombe's
return for talks but only under
conditions which would give
some assurance that he would
cooperate with the central gov
ernment in unifying the coun-
try.
Major Role for TshOmbe
State Department authori-
ties say Mr.. Tshombe still
would have a major role to
play in a unified Congo because
Of his political popularity.
Mr.. Tshombe and the rem
nants of his military force and
government are making prep
arations for last ditch stand
at Kolwezi, 80 miles northwest
Of Jadotville, the advance posi-
tion Of U. N. troops.
The U. N. troops took the
offensive against Mr.. Tshombe
last Saturday by seizing Elisa
bethville and driving north
west to take control of Ka-
tanga's copper and cobalt belt.
Thursday they captured Jadot-
vile, Katanga's major mining
center without a fight.
The U. N. drive shattered
Katangan resistance, but there
were signs Mr.. Tshombe's army
was rebuilding.
Associated Press Correspond
ent Adrian Porter reported
from Kolwezi that a train
loaded with arms and ammuni-
ton and hauling four tank
cars Of gasoline had arrived in
Kolwezi from Angola on Afri-
cas- west coast.
Portuguese Assistance
Mr.. Porter quoted a Katan-
gan cabinet source as saying
Portuguese administrators in
Angola are giving every as
sistance" to Mr.. Tshombe for a
continued fight against the
United Nations.
(In Lisbon, a Portuguese
government source denied Por-
tugal was giving aid TO Ka-
tanga. He called such reports
nonSense.)