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4/8/1957 - Ethiopian Foreign Policy by Smith Hempstone Jr.

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS SH April Ethiopian Foreign Policy Addis Ababa Ethiopia mailed Nairobi Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York Dear Rogers There Ethiopian foreign policy since May Haile Selassie restored throne Prior basis policy maintenance Ethiopian independence This found application isolationism Since Emperor identified himself collective security which failed completely tinged restrained Western proaCh The dualism Ethiopian national character allowed troops Korea flirt With Bandung neutralism As other phases Ethiopian neces directly clarification Ethiopian aspirations realm reign policy To I began negotiations shOrtly after arrival Addis Ababa obtain audience Emperor In audiences usually ranged through American Embassy I applied ambassador Dr Joseph Simonson When remained I checked Embassy progress Ambassador longer handling audiences newspapermen matters werenowunder thecontrol theEthiopianFOreignOffice The reason Ambassador recently arranged interview accompanied New York Times reporter Homer Bigart palace In answer Bigar S questions Emperor Ambassador presence hadstated there considerable Egyptian SUbverSion among Ethiopian Muslims The Emperor apparently wanted Egyptians aware nobody reads retractions later denied statement Dr Simonson found himself embarrassing position either having state which accredited agree Bigart error So Foreign Office future would arrange correspondents audiences On Friday afternoon leave lowing morning there nothing definite about audience Laterthat night Lij Habte Selassie Tafessa Foreign inistry Press Officer called audience ranged Saturday I office Since Chevrolet piled mattresses jerry camping Embassy kindly befitting emperor I arrived Habte office appointed He showed minutes later saying whether audience palace Wingate Avenue Jubilee Palace Ghion Hotel final touches being applied cipation Vice President Nixon visit Since question seemed rather important otioning embassy driver follow Habte jumped Opal brutalizing gears roared Wingate palace A hurried consultation gates revealed Emperor Jubilee Palace Back burning across through usual traffic posed equal parts burro people through gates palace severe stone building surmounted stone lions The gards various officials frantically waved palace steps I hustled inside small formal sitting where inister Pen Tafara Worq waited Worq heavy small mustache habit looking floor spoke excellent English would spent Ethiopia visited vinces write about country Usually respondents spend Addis Ababa write books about Ethiopia He vaulted motion guard You protocol asked I nodded Let We walked entered small almost furnished bowed The Emperor wearing khaki uniform crimson lapel rainbow ribbons On chest standing behind topped Behind mural East Africa We walked bowed again On ivory knife leather sharpened pencils The Emperor smiled benignly We walked bowed again Worq introduced Emperor I shook hands He looked drawn tired We I phrased questions English Worq translated Amharic although Emperor speaks English quite French better Emperor answered Amharic Worq translate English making quite lengthy whole affair The first question I asked Emperor dealt SH Nile waters problem By inference involves lations Egypt The Sudan Uganda By Nile Waters Agreement tween Britain Egypt Nile water reserved Egypt The Sudan Uganda Ethiopia And construction Blue White Niles forbidden without consent Egypt Since The Sudan Ethiopia Uganda except through Foreign Office connection party agreement since proportions granted these countries patently unfair JUBILEE PALACE Ethiopia The Sudan sought agreement Egypt notable fights discourses success I asked Emperor considered portionment Nile waters pressing question event Egyptian refusal consider reapportionment Ethiopia would consider trilateral bilateral agreements either The Sudan Uganda necessary unilateral action proposed finance Blue Nile which would cornerstone reapportionment The Emperor replied consider matter pressing importance Ethiopia aware matter equal importance nations through whose boundaries Nile flows He noted Egyptian reluctance agree reapportionment added Ethiopia would serious construc Aswan High Dam unless first consulted He relations The Sudan indicated bilateral action The Sudan distinct possibility unless Egypt proved herself willing discuss problem He added would American finance construction Blue While subject American financing I asked Emperor comment rumor which I heard places diverse sources considering construction capital Bahar Dar southern Lake Tana American would requested The Emperor somewhat surprise admitted construct there He hoped obvious enermous would borne United States economic assistance particu larly school hospital construction He undecided moment whether entire capital would moved Bahar Dar whether would serve simply altitude capital Empress halth recently thought Emperor feels spend Shoan plateau Bahar Dar about lower Addis Ababa The Emperor added strong ystic ancestors kings Ethiopia buried on_islands Lake Tana He climate excellent extensive network linking Bahar Dar AddiS Ababa Gogora Gondar could easily achieved doubt Bahar Dar could another Geneva I refrained asking better could American taxpayer money Stion What I asked Ethiopia position inregardtO Somalia question Halle Selassie referre speech August delivered Gabredarre Oga desert In promised Somalis Ogaden schools hospitals wells little program accomplished urged struggle firmly against propaganda trying break Ethiopian unity violat freedom He confident people Italian Somaliland achieved indepezdence would remember unity strength united byrace untrue color untrue andeconomics possiblytrue drink great river H scoffed rumors greater Somalia Bri tishhavebacked greater Somalia state ncluding Italian Somaliland British Somaliland Somali areas Kenya possibi French Somaliland 0gaden E thiopian French governments opposed union He addedthat Somali peoples economically linked Ethiopia threL state stand alone Ethiopia The Emperor thathis views ohalngedsince speech He federation hydro electric projects value toall Somali sc0uldhene undertaken Ethiopian foreign policy irrevocably committed anschlus Somalia Eritrea In Ethiopia probably backing America possibly Fran against Britain Egypt strange alliancei oscow How about Red Sea President Eisenho iddle East Doctrine The Emperor aterinterruPtinga fight etween twosmalldogswhich takingpiaceunderhis there thana dozen seVeral Siamese roaming around palace flthei Eisenhower Doctrine necessary maintenance order iddle East which Ethiopia integral Ethiopians iddle Easterners Africans He added King Saud visit Washington might create polar force Nasser stabilize Ethiopia answer question definite aspirations toward becoming Red Sea power He grateful recent America submarine chaser Ethiopian first Nor wegians training Ethiopian naval cadets assawa their hopeless commandi officer already given Nerwy hoped Ethiopian Red Sea before He added aware U S committments elsewhere hence would probably impossible America tribute vessels submarines destroyers trawl other warships supplied Russia Egypt hoped substantial U S naval might forthcoming He grateful American military extended disappointed total amount U S military Ethiopia during exclusive chaser totalled million Ethiopia quested million including planes U S military attaches Addis Ababa advised against expenditure other highly technical equipment saying Ethiopians incapable performing proper maintenance The Emperor expressed himself being anxious attract investors country build Ethiopia industrial particularly textiles making other branches building industry He pected Indian Japanese firms active development The Ethiopians appear industrial fairy gOdfathers profits This coupled endless indecision couraged potential U S investors In concluding interview tired little looking Hebrew prophet great raise standard living Ethiopia eStablish closer relations theUnited States The audience There certain points touched which worth mentioning One these Israeli Ethiopian relations Ethiopians believe themselves descended Solomon adhered Hebraic faith before accepting Christianity strong affinity Jews This reinforced their thinly veiled antipathy toward world Egypt particular Prior closing Gulf Aqaba Ethiopian flowed Israel through gateway In there strong possibility alliance between powers granted Haile Selassie feels internal position strong enough uslim world There question British French Somali lands If Emperor should again doing succeed talking Somalia enterin federation Ethiopia would sources interested acquiring Somalilands If Somalia should refuse federation interest procuring areas would increased desire uslim rival Of areas French Somaliland although smaller British protectorate valuable The whose facilities etter either Hail elassi Eritrean ports Assab assawa natural gateway Ethiopia And there railroad It unthinkable Britain France particularly latter would their Red Sea possessions The method procuring these territories would finance rebellion among tribes object taining U N intervention plebiscite It order ofeDibouti Ethiopia position relation other pendent nations Africa interesting For centuries Ethiopia independent nation entire continent Even until recent times shared distinction Liberia child Africa It would natural Ethiopia should champion nationalistic movements other parts Africa This The reasons complex They include Ethiopia desire offend colonial nations which surround ticularly France dependent years commercial outlet world through Djibouti The second reason perhaps greatest racial arrogance Ethiopian He regards himself Hamitic conqueror iddle Easterner racially superior subject Negroid peoples himself pressed The third reason religious As Christian hates fears Muslim countries North Africa They story Addis Ababa which illustrates racial arrogance Ethiopian Addis Liberian Secretary State He successful overtures Haiti suggest greater diplomatic cultural exchange between Liberia Ethiopia because community interest countries The Ethiopian official demanded community interest Whatever reasons Ethiopia seemingly chance prestige might gained posin champion nationalism Africa Whether attempt recoup diplomatic figure future foreign relations problematical She least definite effort establish relations The Sudan nearest independent neighbor Another problem diplomacy considered Ethiopia position Cold War The Emperor expressed himself quite clearly score He apparently illusions about Communism As mentioned before right after Bandung Conference flirted briefly neutralism seems alligned himself definitely West He however severely disappointed amount nical militar procure United States It quite possible again swerve neutralism attempt blackmail money America Such actions I would strictly acical manuevers changes country basic Western In summation these appear principles Ethiopian foreign policy Violent opposition creation pendent Muslim Somalia eastern frontier still greater opposition concept Greater Somalia including Somalo speaking peoples insistence federation between Somalia Ethiopia Re apportionment Nile waters either agree other sates watered river unilateral action Maintenance relations U S obtaining financing Blue Nile Red Sea Opposition Egypt particularly regard Egypt position regarding Somalia Muslims Ethiopia status Israel The acquisition British French Somalilands aintenance relations The Sudan possibly gaining prestige influence among other independent African states aintenance relations Soviet lever toward obtaining money U S This rather heavy order nation still enjoy eating flesh Haile Selassie proved lomatic skill however oOtained U N Eritrea It quite possible little emperor achieve other goals Sincerely S HemDstone T_