Office of the Historian

74. Memorandum From Secretary of State Vance to President Carter1

Washington, March 14, 1978

[Omitted here are items unrelated to the Horn of Africa.]

3. Situation in the Ogaden—The military situation in the Ogaden is as follows:

—The Somali troop withdrawal is virtually complete;

—We have no evidence of Ethiopian or Cuban attacks on withdrawing Somali troops, insurgents or Ogadeni civilians;

—No invasion of Somali territory has occurred, and there is evidence that the Cubans have orders to respect the border.2

4. The Horn—There were a number of developments bearing on the Horn:

—The Somali Ambassador told me this evening that there has been a Soviet offer to Somalia and that it is important for Siad to have a better idea of our intentions.3 I informed him of your desire to send an emissary—Dick Moose—to discuss these matters directly with Siad.4 The Ambassador seemed highly pleased by this proposal.

—We do not yet have agrement for our Ambassador to Ethiopia, and have requested early action through a letter to Mengistu from David Aaron. The Yugoslavs have also intervened in our behalf.5

—Waldheim has informed me that the Ethiopian Permanent Representative in New York recommended to his government that it respond [Page 195] favorably to a request by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for access to the Ogaden. We are informing the High Commissioner that we will assist his efforts in every way possible.

—The Military Survey Team to Kenya departs for Nairobi tomorrow to follow-up on the Kenyans’ request for our security assistance.

[Omitted here are items unrelated to the Horn of Africa.]

  1. Source: Carter Library, Plains File, Subject File, Box 13, State Department Evening Reports, 3/78. Secret. The President initialed and wrote “Cy” in the upper right corner.↩
  2. Carter wrote “good” in the left margin.↩
  3. In telegram 67382 to Mogadiscio, March 16, the Department reported on the details of this meeting. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780116–0474)↩
  4. Carter wrote “Expedite” in the left margin.↩
  5. In telegram 1176 from Addis Ababa, March 13, the Embassy reported that the Yugoslav Ambassador had met with Feleke and delivered Aaron’s letter. Feleke claimed that “bureaucratic” delays were holding up the agrément for a new U.S. Ambassador. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780112–0076)↩