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Somali delegation considers that the central
question for discussion at the forthcoming
meetings of the delegations of experts from
the two countries is the question of grant-
ing self-determination and independence to
the oppressed Somali minority, which lives
within the borders of Ethiopia.
At the forthcoming negotiations, con-
tinued the Minister, there are two alterna-
tives: either [his aforementioned proposed
topic, or] to limit the discussion to a range
of secondary problems, which would be tan-
tamount to simply beating about the bush.
Somalia considers, that the military actions
currently being conducted are the actions of
Somali patriots in the colonial territory who
are struggling for their right to self-deter-
mination and independence, therefore the
first question on the agenda of the forthcom-
ing meeting of experts should be the ques-
tion of decolonialization, and, only having
resolved that question, will it be possible to
move on to the discussion of other second-
ary questions, such as the lessening of ten-
sion in relations between the two countries.
H.A. Kasim noted that the currently
existing situation is a result of the fact that
Ethiopia, over the course of many years,
violated the territorial integrity of Somalia,
[and] oppressed and annihilated Somalis,
living in the colonized territory.
In conclusion, H.A. Kasim under-
scored the readiness of the Somali delega-
tion to assist the Soviet side in fulfilling its
mission of offering its good services at the
meeting of the delegations of experts from
Somalia and Ethiopia.
For my part, I declared that the tension
which has been created in the relations be-
tween two countries, with both of whom we
are friendly, is the cause of great alarm and
anxiety. I underscored the impossibility of
ing Somali-Ethiopian meeting would lead
to positive results. I said, that it would not
be candid for us not to say that the current
situation in the region had grown compli-
cated and that decisive and immediate mea-
sures were necessary. We would hope that
the two delegations would strive from the
very beginning to create a business-like at-
mosphere, to show their good will, [to take
a] constructive approach and not to take
categorical positions, which have the nature
of ultimatums, and would rule out even the
slightest possibility of conducting negotia-
tions.
We are convinced that the normaliza-
tion of the situation in the Horn of Africa
and the establishment of friendly relations
with Ethiopia is in the interest of Somalia.
It is clear that a peaceful situation, and
friendly ties with Ethiopia would create
more favorable conditions for the success-
ful resolution of complicated problems per-
taining to the national economy, which con-
front this country, in its attempts to raise the
well-being of the Somali workers.
I said that we would like hear the full
opinion of the Somali delegation concern-
ing the range of questions, which the del-
egation considers necessary to submit to a
joint discussion, and likewise concerning the
procedure for the meeting, in particular, with
regard to its general duration, and other pro-
cedural questions. From our side, we have
no intention of imposing any temporal limit
on the meeting and are prepared to take into
account, insofar as it is possible, the wishes
of the two parties in this regard.
I noted further that, as we know, the
Somali side proposes to discuss the issue of
the Ethiopian government’s concession of
the right to self-determination of national
groups. We are unable to predict before-
hand what might be the position of the Ethio-
pian government, but we can surmise, that
such a formulation of the question will most
likely be interpreted by the Ethiopian gov-
ernment as interference in the internal af-
fairs of a sovereign state.
We know, as you do, that the Ethio-
pian leadership in its programmatic docu-
ments announced its intention to resolve the
nationalities question on a democratic ba-
sis. It goes without saying that the realiza-
tion of such a program requires the appro-
priate conditions.
To our mind, the examination of the
issue of normalizing relations between the
resolving the disputed questions by means
of the application of force, particularly given
the contemporary global situation. I took
note of the real danger that such tension
might be used by enemies of Africa, enemies
of progressive transformations in Somalia
as well as in Ethiopia. I remarked that there
are no questions in the interrelations of so-
cialist countries or countries of socialist
orientation, which could not be resolved
without the application of force, by peace-
ful means. The Soviet side, offering its good
services, sees its task at the forthcoming
meeting of the delegations of experts in the
following:
1) To create an atmosphere of good-
will between the two countries;
2) to ensure an understanding of the
fact that it is impossible to resolve dis-
puted questions through force;
3) to undertake efforts to ensure that
as a result of the meetings of experts
there would be recommendations
elaborated to the governments of both
of these countries with the goal of cre-
ating a situation of friendship and good
relations as a basis for resolving the
disputed questions which exist between
Somalia and Ethiopia.
I indicated that the Soviet side did not
intend to impose any particular resolution
of the disputed questions between the two
countries.
After the conclusion of the one-on-one
conversation a meeting of the Soviet repre-
sentatives and the Somali delegation of ex-
perts took place.
I greeted the delegation of Somali ex-
perts and expressed satisfaction with the fact
that the Somali and Ethiopian parties had
decided to begin a dialogue toward the nor-
malization of their relations in Moscow.
I announced that, having concurred
with the request of President Siad that we
offer our good services in organizing and
leading the meetings between representa-
tives of Somalia and Ethiopia in Moscow,
the Soviet side was guided exclusively by
its international obligations to offer assis-
tance to countries with whom we are on
friendly terms, by its interests in the devel-
opment and strengthening of all-around co-
operation with them.
I noted that we treat the parties with-
out biases of any sort, in a friendly and can-
did manner.
I expressed the hope that the forthcom-
COLD WAR INTERNATIONAL HISTORY PROJECT BULLETIN 67
two countries at the meeting of experts, and
precisely this, as we understand, is their first
and foremost task, should not be made con-
ditional upon the preliminary resolution of
fundamentally disputed questions. This is
a point of view which we have expressed
more than once to the Somali leadership and
it was not met with objections by their side.
The meeting of the delegation with the
good services of our side would be genu- [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]