342. Information Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (Palmer) to Secretary of State Rusk1
SUBJECT
- Somalia Seeks Detente with Kenya and Ethiopia
Summary: The new Somali Prime Minister seeks to improve his country’s relations with Ethiopia and Kenya. In light of past pitfalls, as well as the insoluble territorial issue, we are guardedly optimistic about the chances of some success. At the same time, we do not wish to get [Page 587] caught in the middle. Nevertheless, normalization of relations could make such a significant contribution to greater stability in the Horn of Africa, we plan to give a helping hand where appropriate.
Background: Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Egal requested our good offices to normalize relations with Kenya and Ethiopia and to reduce the arms race in the Horn of Africa by an official note dated July 23, 1967.2 We replied in an aide-memoire dated August 7 (see Deptel 21655 attached)3 that an enduring solution to the problems raised should be worked out directly between Somalia and its neighbors and any formal extension now of our good offices would be premature. In view of the constructive tone and intentions expressed in the Somali Government’s (GSR) note, however, we agreed, as requested, to pass on the substance of the GSR initiative for a detente, together with our reply, to the Ethiopian and Kenyan Governments. Under instructions, Ambassador Thurston orally put forth to Egal the need for Somalia to stop giving materiel and training to Somali dissidents who operate within Kenya and Ethiopia if a detente is to succeed. Were Somalia to reconsider its policy and Kenya and Ethiopia to be similarly forthcoming, the Ambassador said, the United States Government would consider how it could best help all parties concerned to come together to discuss their mutual problems. The Ambassador noted that the establishment of friendly and cooperative relations between Somalia and its neighbors would be a major contribution toward halting the arms race in the area.
Prime Minister Egal commented that our response was helpful and encouraging; that he was going to make a serious effort to halt “violent” actions by Somali dissidents in Kenya and Ethiopia; and that though the GSR could not control fully Somalis outside the Republic, his Government would make a maximum effort. Egal realized the GSR had to take the initiative to stop hostile Somali actions, but he hoped Kenya and Ethiopia would find it possible to respond by better treatment of ethnic Somalis living in their lands, Egal said he would try to reduce GSR military expenditures and make more use of the army for national development purposes. If the detente materialized, he hoped to reduce the size of the army significantly.
Our Embassies in Addis and Nairobi have since conveyed the substance of this matter to the Ethiopian and Kenyan Governments. (Ambassador Ferguson hopes to discuss it shortly with Kenyatta.) While the Ethiopian Prime Minister voiced the usual suspicions, his reaction was not unfavorable and the Emperor’s was reportedly positive.
New Somali Prime Minister: Prime Minister Egal, who was selected for the premiership by the new Somali President, Abdirascid Ali Scermarke, [Page 588] won a nearly unanimous vote of confidence in his new Government on August 12. Egal has long been known in Somalia for his pro-West politics and told us many times before his election that if he were named Prime Minister, he would reduce Somalia’s ties to the East and would seek our help. Relatively young (38 years old) and British educated, Egal, who has never visited the United States, desires to meet with the President either at the outset of the UNGA in September or in the first months of 1968. We have recommended he be invited by the President at the later date.
Comment: We believe we have probably done all we can at the moment (apart from Ferguson’s talk with Kenyatta). The next steps, i.e., first talks by Somalis with Ethiopians and Kenyans and disbandment of guerrilla training camps in Somalia, are up to Egal. There is a good possibility Egal will take the opportunity of his attendance at the OAU meeting in Kinshasa or at the opening of the UN General Assembly to meet with Ethiopian or Kenyan officials. (Of course in all this Egal is courageously bucking a strong political tide of popular support for active irridentism and his efforts could be jeopardized at any time by internal pressures.) If Egal succeeds in getting talks started with his neighbors and in reducing tensions in the area, we and other Western donor countries will likely be asked by the GSR for additional economic assistance. In line with the ideas expressed by the Under Secretary in talks with Kenyan and Somali leaders during his recent trip to Africa, we recommend an affirmative response in terms of possible regional and multi-donor projects. Moreover, we shall be on the watch for any other ways in which we might give discreet encouragement or assistance to Egal’s initiative.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 15–1 SOMALI. Confidential. Drafted by Looram and Beyer on August 21, and cleared by John P. Meagher in AFE.↩
- See footnote 2, Document 340.↩
- Document 341.↩