Russian
& East German Documents on Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa, 1977-78
Minutes
of CPSU CC Politburo Meeting, 9 March 1978 (excerpt)
Top
Secret
Only
copy
Working
Transcript
MEETING
OF THE CC
CPSU
POLITBURO
9
March 1978
Chaired
by Com. BREZHNEV, L.I.
Attended
by Coms. Grishin, V.V., Kirilenko, A.P., Kosygin, A.N., Kulakov, F.D., Mazurov,
K.T., Pel'she, A.Ya., Demichev, P.N., Kuznetsov, V.V., Ponomarev, B.N., Solomentsev,
M.S., Dolgikh, V.I., Zimianin, M.V., Riabov, Ia.P., Rusakov, K.V.
[.
. .] 12. About Measures to Settle the Ethiopia-Somalia military conflict
BREZHNEV. All comrades, evidently, have read
the last telegrams from Ethiopia and Somalia in relation to Siad Barre's request
concerning our mediation. At first, Mengistu's reaction to the thoughts
we expressed about that issue was basically positive. But he has promised
to give a final response only after he will consult with his colleagues in
the leadership. Thus far that response has not been received.
Siad Barre's reaction to the thoughts which we
expressed to him in regarding his request suggests that he, as in the past,
is playing a dishonest game. He obviously would like to leave some part
of the forces in the Ogaden disguised as "patriotic detachments"
and not to accept as a starting point for negotiations the principle of mutual
respect, sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-violation of borders, and
non-interference in the internal affairs of one another. He declares
that these principles should be the subject of the subsequent negotiations.
On the other hand, Siad Barre's response in no
way rejects the possibility of organizing a Somali-Ethiopian meeting, if Ethiopia
will agree to it. Therefore, if Mengistu will give his consent to this
meeting, then it seems expedient to continue our work aimed at organizing
it. Simultaneously, it will of course be necessary to confirm
to Siad Barre our principled approach regarding the withdrawal from Ethiopia
of all Somali sub-detachments and about the principles of a settlement which
are mentioned above.
I believe that it is necessary for us to continue
working in this direction.
MFA USSR, the Committee of State Security, the
Ministry of Defense and the International Department of the CC CPSU are assigned
to continue working in the direction of a settlement of the military conflict
between Ethiopia and Somalia and to submit possible proposals to the CC CPSU.
[Source:
APRF, f. 3, op. 120, d. 39, ll. 97, 114; translated by Mark Doctorff.]
