Russian
& East German Documents on Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa, 1977-78
CPSU
CC to SED CC, Information on Visit of Mengistu Haile Mariam to Moscow, 13
May 1977
Confidential
On
the results of the official visit to the Soviet Union of the Ethiopian State
Delegation led by the Chairman of the Provisional Military Administrative
Council (PMAC) of socialist Ethiopia
Mengistu
Haile Mariam
In the course of negotiations the Soviet leaders and Mengistu
discussed the issues of bilateral relations and relevant international questions.
The main results of the visit were covered in the Declaration
signed on the initiative of the Ethiopian side about the foundations of friendly
relations and cooperation between the USSR and the Socialist Ethiopia, and
in the joint communique, as well as in the published news releases on the
course of the visit.
Beside the declaration about the foundations of friendly relations
and cooperation between the USSR and Ethiopia, [the two sides] also signed
an agreement on cultural and scientific cooperation, a consular convention,
a protocol on economic and technical cooperation which envisages assistance
to Ethiopia in [construction] of a number of industrial and agricultural objects,
provision of buying credit and the commission of Soviet experts.
According to the wishes of the Ethiopian side, an agreement was
signed on some additional deliveries of armaments and military equipment to
Ethiopia.
The visit of the Chairman of the PMAC Mengistu Haile Mariam to
the USSR had an obvious goal - to establish direct personal contacts with
the Soviet leaders and to ensure the support of the Soviet Union for the cause
of the protection and development of the national-democratic revolution in
Ethiopia.
On May 6 of this year Mengistu was received by General Secretary
of the CC CPSU L.I. Brezhnev. At this talk he informed L.I. Brezhnev on the
activities of the new Ethiopian leadership who took a course toward the socialist
orientation of the country. On behalf of the Ethiopian people the Chairman
of the PMAC expressed profound gratitude for the assistance the Soviet Union
renders to Ethiopia in the defense of [its] revolutionary conquests.
L.I. Brezhnev underscored our principled position with regard
to progressive transformations in Ethiopia and declared that the Soviet Union,
which from the very beginning came out in favor of the Ethiopian revolution,
intends to continue this course and to give, as much as it can, political,
diplomatic, and other forms of assistance to the new leadership of Ethiopia.
L.I. Brezhnev drew Mengistu's attention to the fact it was important, in order
to advance the revolutionary process, to create a party of the working
class, the intention that the leader of the Ethiopian state had voiced, and
to the necessity to activate the international affairs of Ethiopia with the
aim of foiling the encroachments of imperialist and other reactionary forces.
L.I. Brezhnev expressed concern about the continuing deterioration of relations
between the two progressive states that are friendly to us - Ethiopia and
Somalia, and pointed to the urgent need to take measures for the improvement
of these relations.
Mengistu voiced profound satisfaction with the meeting and the
frank, comradely character of the talks.
During negotiations with N.V. Podgorny, A.A. Gromyko, and other
Soviet comrades the head of the Ethiopian delegation informed them about the
roots of the Ethiopian revolution and its course at the present stage, about
internal and external difficulties the new leadership of the country experiences
today. Mengistu said that the Ethiopian leadership stands on the platform
of Marxism-Leninism and regards the Ethiopian revolution as part of the world
revolutionary process. He stressed his intention to create a working class
party in Ethiopia. However, he said, the Ethiopian revolution is going through
a complicated, one can even say, critical phase. Rightist, as well as ultra-leftist
elements, are rising, de facto, in a united front against the revolution.
They unleashed a virtual civil war in some provinces of the country. These
actions of domestic counterrevolution are linked to the activities of imperialism
and other external reactionary forces directed against the new Ethiopia. Mengistu
underlined that a special role in these coordinated activities belong to the
anti-Communist regime of Numeiri, and behind its back lurk reactionary Arab
countries, first of all Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
The head of the Ethiopian delegation said that Ethiopia will
not overcome external and internal counterrevolution alone, and for that reason
it relies on support on the part of the Soviet Union and other socialist countries.
He expressed a wish to develop all-faceted cooperation with the USSR.
Mengistu supplied detailed information on the policy of the Ethiopian
leadership on the nationalities question, on his intention to resolve it on
a democratic basis in the framework of the unified multinational state. The
Ethiopian side judges that the separatist movement in Eritrea, which receives
massive support from the Arab countries, acquired a reactionary character
after the victory of the national-democratic revolution in Ethiopia.
Mengistu spoke with concern about the position that the Somali
leadership took towards the Ethiopian revolution. He favored normalization
of relations between Ethiopia and Somalia and the united efforts of the two
progressive states in the struggle against imperialism and reaction.
The Soviet side expressed understanding of the difficulties the
new Ethiopian leadership encounters inside the country and outside its frontiers.
The Ethiopian delegation was informed about the measures the Soviet leadership
undertakes in support of Ethiopia in the international arena, in particular
in connection with the anti-Ethiopian position of the ruling circles of Sudan
and to the arms supplies to the Eritrean separatists from a number of Arab
states. The Soviet Union was said to continue henceforth to give assistance
to the new Ethiopia.
[The Soviet side] explained our position on major international
issues, including the relaxation of tensions, the situation in the South Africa,
in the Middle East; in response to the Ethiopian side we informed her about
Soviet-American and Soviet-Chinese relations. Mengistu spoke about common
views between Ethiopia and the Soviet Union on the crucial issues of international
affairs. He said that he shared the viewpoint of the Soviet side regarding
the essence of differences between the USSR and China and, on his part, pointed
out to the difference of positions between Ethiopia and China on a number
of issues, including the situation in the African Horn.
Mengistu gave the impression of a serious figure who firmly believes
in his cause, although he still lacks sufficient political and state experience.
In particular, it seems that he and other Ethiopian leaders do not devote
due attention to vigorous measures in the international arena in order to
foil the attempts to drive Ethiopia into international isolation, [and] to
win over world public opinion, first of all in the progressive states of Africa.
Mengistu and the members of the Ethiopian delegation estimated
highly the results of the negotiations in Moscow and expressed thanks for
the understanding with which the Soviet side addressed their needs. They expressed
the opinion that the results of their visit will contribute to the further
improvement of Soviet-Ethiopian relations.
We in the Soviet Union believe that the visit and talks with
the Ethiopian state delegation was fruitful and useful.
The Ethiopian leadership, in our opinion, should be granted the
support of the Socialist Commonwealth.
[Source:
SAPMO, J IV 2/202/583; obtained and translated from Russian by Vladislav M.
Zubok.]
Additions
to 2 February 1977 Report by Third African Department, Soviet Foreign Ministry,
on "Somalia's Territorial Disagreements with Ethiopia and the Position
of the USSR," apparently in late May-early June 1977
[...] On 16 March 1977, a meeting took place in
Aden between President Siad and PMAC Chairman Mengistu with the participation
of Fidel Castro and the Chairman of the Presidential Council of South Yemen,
Rubayi-i-Ali.
Mengistu appealed to Siad for the coordination
of actions to rebuff imperialist and reactionary forces which simultaneously
threaten both Ethiopia and Somalia. Siad held to an intransigent position,
putting forth the annexation of the Ogaden to Somalia as an immutable condition
for normalizing Somali-Ethiopian relations. He demanded that the issue
of the transfer of the Ogaden to Somalia be quickly resolved, with the subsequent
formation of a federation between Somalia and Ethiopia. At the meeting
Siad declared that if the socialist countries would not support Somalia on
the territorial issue, then he would be required to appeal to Arab and Western
states for assistance.
The representative of South Yemen put forward a
proposal to create a committee made up of high-ranking representatives of
Ethiopia, Somalia, South Yemen, and Cuba for resolution of disputed Somali-Ethiopian
issues. Siad refused to work in that committee. However, until
now that proposal remains in force.
[...]
At a meeting of the Chairman of the Presidium of
the USSR Supreme Soviet, N.V. Podgorny, with Siad Barre which took place at
the beginning of April of this year during his brief visit to Somalia, Siad
expressed readiness to continue the search for a mutually acceptable formula
for resolving the problems facing Ethiopia and Somalia and requested the Soviet
Union to provide help in organizing a meeting with Mengistu.
At Soviet-Ethiopian negotiations which took place
during the official visit to the Soviet Union of the official Ethiopian delegation
headed by the Chairman of the PMAC Mengistu Haile Mariam during 4-8 May 1977,
the Ethiopian side was informed of N.V. Podgorny's recent conversation with
Siad Barre. In accord with the wish of President Siad, we proposed to
Mengistu that through our good offices we organize and conduct in the Soviet
Union a summit meeting for the establishment of good-neighborly relations
between Somalia and Ethiopia. Mengistu accepted that suggestion with
satisfaction and expressed agreement with the thoughts that had been expressed
to him in this regard. However, in a conversation with the Soviet Ambassador
on 17 May of this year, President Siad declared that he is not ready at the
present time to sit at the negotiating table with Mengistu. [...]
[Source:
TsKhSD, f. 5, op. 73, d. 1619, ll. 61-68; translated by Paul Henze.]
Report
from CPSU CC to SED CC, Information about the Visit to the Soviet Union of
Somalia Vice President Samanta, late May-early June 1977
Strictly
Confidential
[notation:
"EH 6.6.77"]
I
N F O R M A T I O N
on
the visit of the First Vice-President of Somalia Mohammad Ali Samantar to
the Soviet Union in the end of May-early June
At first Samantar was in Moscow unofficially, then at joint agreement
it was decided to publicize the fact of his presence in the Soviet Union.
Samantar held conversations with the CC CPSU Politburo member,
Minister of Foreign Affairs A.A. Gromyko and the alternate member of the CC
CPSU Politburo, CC CPSU Secretary B.N. Ponomarev. Upon conclusion of these
talks Samantar was received by General Secretary of the CC CPSU L.I. Brezhnev.
They discussed on a principled level the main directions of the Soviet-Somali
relations and reaffirmed a political line of the USSR and the SDR, aimed at
the development of cooperation between them in various fields.
In the course of conversations in Moscow, aside from the issues
of the Soviet-Somalian relations, a major focus was on the issues connected
to the situation in the area of the African Horn, on which [issues] our side
laid out the position that is well known also to the Ethiopian leadership.
Soviet-Ethiopian relations, for understandable reasons, took a special place
in the conversations.
Samantar concentrated his attention on the disagreements between
Somalia and Ethopia on the territorial question. In justifying the positions
of the SDR he mentioned the well-known Somalian arguments. Samantar did not
dispute the revolutionary character of the regime of Ethiopia, as the
Somalis have done before. Yet he hinted that not everything is normal in the
domestic situation in Ethiopia, that the rights of the persons of Somalian
extraction who live in Ogaden are still allegedly impinged upon. Samantar
said that the leadership of Ethiopia, instead of turning to persuasion as
the main tool of bringing the population [of Ogaden] over to its side, all
too often resorts to arms.
Our side repeatedly underscored the idea that the main thing
now is to avoid military confrontation between Somalia and Ethiopia. We drew
[his] attention to the perversity of a situation when two states - Somalia
and Ethiopia - who set themselves on the path of revolutionary development
are at loggerheads. Of course, we know about the differences of opinion between
Somalia and Ethiopia, first of all on the territorial issue. But if a war
breaks out between them, only imperialist forces would gain from this. Such
a war not only would lead to grave consequences, it would also turn against
Somalia and would allow reactionary forces to put a noose around its neck.
L.I. Brezhnev stressed in this regard that one should not allow
a military confrontation to flare up between the two progressive states of
Africa, and that all issues and disputes between them should be resolved in
a peaceful way, at the negotiation table.
As to the domestic situation in Ethiopia, we declared it was
not our business to discuss such issues. The Ethiopians themselves should
resolve them.
In our opinion, there were two important points that surfaced
in the course of the discusions.
First. If earlier we had the impression that the Somali leadership
vacillated with regard to a meeting with the leadership of Ethiopia and to
a mission of good-will on the part of the Soviet Union in the organization
of such a meeting, now Samantar declared that the Somalis are ready for this.
In response to our direct question when and on which level the
Somalian side would expect to hold such a meeting, he said that any time would
be good for them, but did not mention any dates. In Samantar's opinion, at
first there could be a ministerial meeting, and a final stage could be held
as a summit. At the same time, Samantar let us understand that before the
organization of such a meeting we should define a range of issues for discussion,
by emphasizing that for the Somalis in the focus is still the territorial
issue. Concerning the participation of Soviet representatives in a meeting,
Samantar did not define their level, did not say that it [the level] should
be high.
Second. Of great importance is Samantar's declaration that the
Somali leadership would not on its own initiative unleash an armed conflict
with Ethiopia. He said it twice during his meetings with A.A. Gromyko and
B.N. Ponomarev. He made a similar pronouncement in his conversation with L.I.
Brezhnev.
True, Samantar spoke about a scenario of provocation of such
a conflict on the part of external imperialist forces or their helpers. To
this we reacted in the following way: if such forces were around, then both
sides, Somalia and Ethiopia, should not respond to such a provocation, but
should display state wisdom and vigilance.
On the whole, the visit of Samantar to Moscow was, in our opinion,
usful. It shows that the leadership of Somalia does not drop the idea to begin,
with assistance of the Soviet Union, a dialogue with the leaders of Ethiopia
in order to normalize relations between the two countries.
[Source:
SAPMO, J IV 2/202 584; obtained and translated from Russian by V. Zubok.]
Memorandum
of Conversation between Soviet Ambassador to Ethiopia A.P. Ratanov and Mengistu,
29 June 1977
SECRET, copy No. 2
From
the journal of 18 July
1977
Ratanov,
A.P. Original
No. 255
RECORD
OF THE CONVERSATION
with
the President of the PMAC,
MENGISTU
HAILE MARIAM
29
June 1977
Today I visited Mengistu Haile Mariam and, as authorized
by the Center [Moscow], outlined the Soviet position on Ethiopian-Somali relations,
highlighting the threat that military conflict between Ethiopia and Somalia
would pose to the revolutionary achievements in both countries.
Mengistu then thanked the Soviet leadership for
its efforts in pursuit of the normalization of Ethiopia-Somali relations and
stated the following:
The PMAC's position on Ethiopian-Somali relations
remains unchanged - it supported and continues to support the improvement
of relations with Somalia through negotiations and the restoration of cooperation
with this country in the struggle against a common enemy - imperialism. In
light of this, the PMAC assumes that, unlike Sudan, which completely went
over to the side of imperialism, Somalia remains a country which claims to
adhere to scientific socialism and has friendly relations with socialist states,
a situation which would create favorable conditions for the restoration of
friendly relations and cooperation between Somalia and Ethiopia, and also
influences the study of Marxism-Leninism and the establishment of close cooperation
with the Soviet Union and other socialist states.
In response to the appeal from the Soviet government,
the PMAC would like to emphasize once more that Ethiopia does not have any
aggressive intentions with respect to Somalia. The PMAC already informed
the Soviet government that it has accepted the proposal by Siad Barre to organize
a Somali-Ethiopian meeting on an expert level. Clearly, Ethiopia will
not go to this meeting as a supplicant, but as an equal partner.
Ethiopia is prepared to contribute to the efforts
of the Soviet Union to prevent Somalia from shifting to the right, as can
be observed today. As far as Ethiopia is concerned, Somalia is already
engaged in subversive activities against it in the guise of a Front for the
Liberation of Western Somalia, the headquarters of which is located in Mogadishu.
Armed units of this front have taken some villages in eastern Ethiopia.
These units are even armed with Soviet-made anti-aircraft missiles.
Naturally, Ethiopian forces must combat the units of this force.
In conclusion, Mengistu made a request to the Soviet
government to lend its support to efforts to achieve a withdrawal of Somali
forces from Ethiopian territory. Responding to a question from the Soviet
ambassador, Mengistu said that relations between Ethiopia and the Republic
of Djibouti were not bad, but that the leadership of this Republic, fearing
annexation by Ethiopia or Somalia, agreed to a French military presence.
Under these conditions, said Mengistu, if it were possible to restore cooperation
between Ethiopia and Somalia, then these countries could affirm that they
guarantee the independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Djibouti,
which would facilitate the withdrawal of French forces from Djibouti and the
development of this state along a progressive path.
AMBASSADOR
OF THE USSR
IN
SOCIALIST ETHIOPIA
/s/
A RATANOV
[Source:
TsKhSD, f. 5, op. 73, d. 1636, ll. 74-75; translated by Elizabeth Wishnick.]
