Office of the Historian

884.24/93: Telegram

The Consul at Asmara (Smith) to the Secretary of State

Asmara, January 2, 1943—noon.
[Received 3:55 p.m.]

1. Reference my telegram dated December 12, 11 a.m.1 Have just received the following telegram from Ethiopian Foreign Minister

“I am commanded by His Imperial Majesty2 to request you to be so good as to convey the expression of his gratefulness to President Roosevelt for the announcement of lease and lend authorization to Ethiopia.3 Furthermore, I am commanded by His Imperial Majesty to ask you if it is possible for you to call on us to discuss matters of vital importance.[”]

I recommend appointment Commanding Officer of Eritrea Service Command, Colonel Edwin Clark, graduate of West Point and Harvard Law.

Smith
  1. Not printed; it suggested “appointment Commanding Officer Eritrea Service Command United States of America as agent lend-lease for Ethiopia” and requested information as to how aid would be extended (884.24/91).↩
  2. Haile Selassie I.↩
  3. Department of State Bulletin, December 12, 1942, p. 999.↩