775.5 MSP/5–2153: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in Ethiopia1
610. Re immediately preceding tel containing press release on mutual aid agreement.2
FYI. In addition above, Acting Secy and Aklilou will at same time on May 22 but in private sign base agreement3 and exchange following notes: (1) Secret notes specifying installations and facilities granted us now under base agreement and possible US future requirements; (2) Confidential notes confirming that base agreement terminates and supersedes present modus vivendi US facilities arranged at time federation; and (3) Confidential note from us informing FonMin of types of equipment we are programming under grant military aid. No announcement of base agreement or notes will be made. This is both by preference Aklilou and because we wish avoid any obvious link between base and aid agreements. Base agreement (but not notes) will eventually be registered with UN,4 as will mutual aid agreement.
Re third note above, this is maximum commitment on actual aid program we can put in writing. Aklilou aware that agreement in principle has been reached within US Govt on grant aid up to $5,000,000 and note indicates that original arms request (under reimbursable aid) being used as basis for programming grant aid.
Re military training desired by Ethiopians, JCS has decided that, in lieu training mission to which it had agreed before question grant aid arose, US military assistance advisory group to be sent to Ethiopia under grant aid program shld include appropriate number personnel for training function.
Base agreement considerably modified in form from one sent you after negotiations in December but major provisions substantially same. Principal change has been to provide in separate articles for rights and powers within installations, where we have virtually complete authority, and for those outside installations. Latter spelled out in some detail and number are subject to subsequent Ethiopian agreement, but wording is broad enough to permit us do all necessary for operation and control of installations. Provisions on jurisdiction and customs exemption retained intact.
[Page 451]Copies all documents being pouched.
Aklilou departing US for Addis (via Europe) May 23.
- This telegram was drafted by Wellons and Root (AF) and cleared in the office of Cyr (AF).↩
- Telegram 609, May 21, not printed. It transmitted the text of a press release to be issued simultaneously from Washington and Addis Ababa after the signing of the mutual aid agreement on May 22. (775.5 MSP/5–2153) For the text of the press release, see the Department of State Bulletin, June 1, 1953, p. 785.↩
- For the text of the base agreement, see TIAS No. 2964; 5 UST 749.↩
- A Department of State press release, dated May 28, 1954, stated that on that date the Secretary of State and Ethiopian Foreign Minister announced the United States was presenting the agreement for formal UN registration (Department of State Bulletin, June 7, 1954, p. 871).↩