327. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson1
SUBJECT
- Visit of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia
- (Monday-Tuesday, February 13–14)
Schedule
- 5:00–5:30 PM Monday: welcoming ceremony.
- 10:30–11:30 AM Tuesday: alone, with advisers standing by in Cabinet room.
Papers
Nick Katzenbach’s briefing memorandum and suggested talking points are at Tab A.2 Bob Kintner will send in proposed welcoming remarks and dinner toast. The State briefing book is attached.3
Substance
The Emperor will be taking a careful reading of the temperature of U.S.-Ethiopian relations. In particular, he will be trying to get us to increase our military assistance to Ethiopia, now running at about $14 million per year. Though he probably won’t say so, his bargaining leverage flows from his knowledge that our communications base—Kagnew Station—in his country is very important to us. (It is our chief listening post for Europe, the Middle East, and much of the Soviet Union. It contains equipment which could not be effectively operated from any other available location.)
Your advisers are agreed that we should not agree to any major increase in military aid to Ethiopia. The Emperor’s real security problems are internal. Moreover, any substantial rise in our arms shipments would put pressure on the Soviets to enlarge their deliveries to the neighboring, arch-enemy Somali Republic, thus adding fuel to an already simmering arms race. Finally, an increase would be next to impossible to finance from current MAP appropriations and very unpopular on the Hill.
We do not believe that the Emperor will react to this position by giving Kagnew Station a hard time. He is too dependent on the present flow [Page 563] of aid. We have, however, put together a small package of about $2 million in counter-insurgency help over the next two years which will save him the embarrassment of returning empty-handed.
The important thing is to give the Emperor a sense that our interest in the future of Ethiopia—and your personal interest in HIM—remains strong. He is extremely proud of his stature as a world leader and a spokesman for Africa. Butter, strategically applied, can make up for many tons of undelivered guns.
Tactics
Ed Korry predicts that unless the Emperor has reason to believe that you know something of his problems he will begin with a long, formal statement. It could last 30–45 minutes (add equal time for translation). If your patience and schedule permit, you may wish to hear him out.
If you would rather try to cut the lecture short, you might open with the following points:
- —You have followed developments in the Red Sea Basin, and know the depth and gravity of the problems the Emperor faces—the continuing tension with Somalia, the uncertain future of French Somaliland, the imminent British withdrawal from Aden, and the Moslem dissidence in the Ethiopian province of Eritrea.
- —We stand firm in our recognition of the territorial integrity of Ethiopia. (This point is important to HIM because of Somali irridentist claims.)
- —The strong and continuing U.S. interest in Ethiopia is reflected in the very substantial economic and military aid we have provided her for many years. (A total of more than $60 million in 1966, more than $300 million overall.)
- —We are aware of the internal security problems the Emperor must deal with, and are prepared to look into the possibility of modest additional assistance in that area.
- —However, we are determined to avoid promoting arms races in Africa. We believe that current programs are sufficient to insure Ethiopia against any external threat. An increase would only serve to expand the pressures for a fruitless and wasteful armed confrontation between Ethiopia and Somalia. This would be a great tragedy, not only for the cause of peace, but for both peoples (among the poorest in the world), who desperately need to apply their assets to economic problems.
- —The best hope for a safe passage through the problems of the Red Sea area is the wisdom and restraint of the Emperor himself. You are confident that he will continue to explore every avenue of possible accommodation and cooperation with his neighbors.
Session with Ed Korry
Korry thinks it would be useful if he could spend ten minutes with you before the Emperor arrives. I have no strong feeling either way. If you approve, I will arrange a time with Marvin.
- Source: Johnson Library, White House Central Files, CO 73 Ethiopia (Restricted). Top Secret.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Not attached; a copy is in the Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Ethiopia, Visit of Emperor Haile Selassie, 2/14–15/67.↩
- No decision is indicated on the source text. The President’s Daily Diary contains no record of a meeting between Korry and Johnson on February 14 or 15. (Ibid.)↩