Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–8, Documents on South Asia, 1973–1976

92. Telegram 840 From the Embassy in Sri Lanka to the Department of State¹ ²

Colombo, March 5, 1976, 1430Z.

SUBJECT:

• Brezhnev Statement of Indian Ocean Bases

REF:

• (A) MOSCOW 3149, (B) state 49797, (C) COLOMBO 739.

1. Ambassador discussed at some length facilities Soviets are building in Somalia during March 4 meeting with Deputy Minister of Defence and Foreign Affairs Lakshman Jayakody. Letter was also given to Jayakody summarizing main points of presentation and enclosing background information, drawing on guidance provided by Washington.

2. Jayakody said evidence of Soviet military activity in Somalia was convincing and asked that he be kept informed of further Soviet military involvement there, as well as elsewhere in Indian Ocean Region. He noted that he had been called upon to comment on Brezhnev’s statement to CPSU Congress regarding Soviet “bases” in Indian Ocean and said he felt he could not publicly challenge Brezhnev’s statement in press conference. He said, however, that he knew that Brezhnev’s statement did not contain “the whole truth.”

Van Hollen

1. Source: National Archives, RG 84, Colombo Embassy Files: Lot 80 F 29, Subject Files, DEF 18–9 Demilitarization and Nuclear Free Zone, 1976. Confidential. It was drafted by Andrew Kay (POL); cleared by Van Hollen; and approved by Perkins. It was repeated to Moscow and New Delhi. In a February 26 speech, Soviet Chairman Brezhnev stated that “The Soviet has never had, and now has no intention whatever of building military bases in the Indian Ocean, and we call on the United States to take the same stand.” Deputy Minister Jayakody noted that this speech had been widely reported in the Sri Lankan press. In telegram 173558 from the Department, July 13, the Embassy was instructed to utilize Congressional testimony on Berbera to further blunt Soviet propaganda on the subject, in light of the impending Non-Aligned Movement meeting in Colombo. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy Files)
2. Ambassador Van Hollen reported that he discussed the Soviet base at Berbera with Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lakshman Jayakody on March 4. Jayakody accepted the information.