Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume XXIV, North Africa

423. Telegram From the Embassy in Ethiopia to the Department of State¹

5230.

Addis Ababa, November 8, 1984, 0532Z

Department pass OAU Collective. Subject: Outlook for the Twentieth OAU Summit.

1. (S—Entire text)

2. The OAU Summit, the twentieth since the organization’s founding, is headed for convening on schedule next Monday, November 12. Unlike the nineteenth summit, which was a cliffhanger, it looks like a relatively easy one, with few potential disruptions in prospect. Following in brief is the prognosis five days before the scheduled convening:

— Western Sahara: After much hemming and hawing, the consensus now is that the Polisario will be treated as a full member from the start. Latest word is that its admission will not even be a subject of discussion by the heads of state in their informal session just before convening; we are in fact told that the Polisario will join this session and go on from there to take its seat, with nameplate and flag, like everyone else. The Polisario’s supporters have turned the tables this year and are threatening a walkout if it is not seated from the start. Without their presence there can’t be a quorum (last time it was the opponents of the Polisario who deprived the summit of a quorum at Tripoli and threatened to do the same in Addis). Most other African governments are simply sick and tired of seeing the OAU deadlocked at every turn by the Western Sahara problem. They are ready to go along with seating the Polisario in the hope that that will set to rest, even if only momentarily, the dispute that has so long raged over the issue.

[Omitted here is material unrelated to the Western Sahara.]

3. For the results, check back this time next week.²

Korn

1. Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D840715–0763. Secret; Immediate.
2. In telegram 5300 from Addis Ababa, November 13, the Embassy reported: “The opening session of the Twentieth OAU Summit unfolded exactly according to forecast,” adding “the Polisario made its entry along with the other delegations and took its seat in front of its nameplate—RASD—and its flag. Mengistu excoriated constructive engagement” on South Africa “and lambasted Morocco for failing to implement the nineteenth summit’s Western Sahara resolution.” The Embassy also noted that “the session closed with a speech by the Moroccan delegate announcing his government’s withdrawal from membership in the OAU because of the seating of the Polisario. Zaire spoke eloquently in support of Morocco and declared suspension of its participation though not its membership. ‘A few’ more may walk out November 13 but not enough to put the quorum in jeopardy.” (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D840724–0088)