865.014/11–1847: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Douglas) to the Secretary of State
6104. Itcol 91. Re Colit 501. Zaroubin’s questioning of Ethiopians on possibility Ogaden-Eritrea trade referred to Ethiopian’s memorandum dated May 15, 1946 presented Deputies CFM, June 4, 1946, with document CFM (D) (46) 126.2 Zaroubin quoted part of paragraph three of this memorandum that “it would appear that Ethiopia by giving up one-fourth of her empire, namely the province of the [Page 617] Ogaden might receive in return a portion of Eritrea, a land that has belonged to Ethiopia for over three thousand years”.
After 14th meeting of deputies ItCol Zaroubin sent above quoted excerpt to Aklilou, Ethiopian Vice Minister FonAffairs. Aklilou replied on November 17 with explanation that Zaroubin had quoted only small part of paragraph three of memorandum referred to Aklilou transmitted full text of paragraph under reference which he said “should set at rest all doubts in regard to the matter”. Full paragraph does not substantiate Soviet allegation and concludes “the Imperial Ethiopian Govt entertain the belief that none of the four great powers will seriously support a suggestion that Ethiopia may regain territories of which she has been deprived by aggression at the cost of paying for the same in other territories of the empire, the use of which she has contributed to the prosecution of the war now victoriously ended”.
Embassy today rec’d copies this correspondence between Soviets and Ethiopians with documents quoted above.3 Zaroubin may also have had in mind British proposal for United Somaliland including Ogaden under British trusteeship made to CFM April 29, 1946, and contained in document CFM (46) 22.4 British proposal summarized page eight OIR report number 43264 on “proposals for the disposition of the Italian colonies in Africa”.
Ethiopians yesterday submitted written statement5 to Deputies claiming all Italian Somaliland should be returned to Ethiopia. Ethiopian Govt has not requested further oral hearing on Italian Somaliland.
- Telegram 4875, Colit 50, November 17, to London, not printed, requested an amplification of paragraph 2 of telegram 6011, Itcol 90, November 12, from London, supra (865.014/11–1747).↩
- Not printed. For documentation on the Second Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Paris, April–July 1946 and the related meetings of the Deputies, almost exclusively devoted to the preparation of the draft peace treaties with Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, Rumania, and Finland, see Foreign Relations, 1946, vol. ii, pp. 88 ff.↩
- The correspondence under reference here is included in the working files of the Division of African Affairs, Lot 54 D 464, Box 1640.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Not printed.↩
- CFM/D/L/47/IC/75, November 17, 1947, not printed.↩