Office of the Historian

301. Memorandum From William H. Brubeck of the National Security Council Staff to President Kennedy0

Washington, September 30, 1963.

Attached is a briefing memorandum and background book for the Emperor of Ethiopia’s visit beginning Tuesday.1 In the briefing paper you should note particularly Ambassador Korry’s personal appraisal of [Page 477] the Emperor and the annex on economic and military aid. In the background book the most important papers are those on the Ethiopian-Somali relations (Tab A) [1 line of source text not declassified].

Key points on this visit:

1.
This is primarily a personal exchange between two world statesmen. The Emperor is very vain and will want to discuss world affairs. He will be particularly flattered if you take him aside for private sessions, not only on world affairs generally but soliciting his views as a predominant leader in the Organization for African Unity, on African affairs.
2.
His greatest domestic preoccupation is with the border dispute with the Somalis over Ethiopia’s Ogaden District, occupied by nomadic Somali tribesmen, where a good deal of fighting is going on. (See Briefing Book, Tab III-A.) Since he is critical of our help to Somalia it is particularly important that you invite his views on this as a problem in which we have a common concern.
3.
Most important to the United States, we are in a bargaining situation over the price we will pay, in increased economic and military aid, for highly classified new intelligence facilities (for monitoring Soviet space communications)2 [less than 1 line of source text not declassified] (Briefing Book, Tab III-D). We are, in principle, agreeing to maintain, and eventually modernize and increase from one to two squadrons Ethiopia’s present F-86 jet force; and to explore several economic projects, the biggest a $15-30 million dam on the Blue Nile still some years off.

Miscellaneous points:

1.
The Emperor is very protocol conscious and was unhappy on his 1954 visit because Eisenhower did not meet him at the plane; he thinks he was kept waiting 12 days in a New York hotel for answers to some aid requests; and they didn’t take him to TVA because the Dixon-Yates fight was on at the time (by his own choice he is going to Canaveral not TVA this time).
2.
He will be arriving by way of Geneva and an over night stay in Philadelphia and his schedule includes: seeing Shriver (419 Peace Corps in Ethiopia, secondary teaching and small public health group); laying a wreath at the Lincoln Memorial with Udall hosting; lunch on the Sequoia hosted by Chief Justice Warren; usual State and Defense meetings; in New York, doing a Meet the Press; addressing the UNGA; lunch with U Thant; and a private lunch with businessmen, reflecting his special interest in private investment for Ethiopia; visiting Canaveral and then going on to Canada.
3.
He is a little resentful that the President of the Ethiopian Senate Assrate Kassa, whom you saw on July 25, was treated too well here. Play any mention in low key.
4.
The Emperor will speak Amharic with his American-trained Foreign Minister (formerly his private secretary) interpreting for both sides, since we have no Amharic interpreter. Under the circumstances, you might want to take Ambassador Korry when you withdraw for private talks.

WB
  1. Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, Ethiopia, Haile Selassie’s Visit, 10/63. Secret.↩
  2. None of the tabs is attached to the source text. They refer to briefing material prepared by the Department of State for Haile Selassie’s visit. Documentation is in Department of State, Conference Files: Lot 66 D 110, CF 2330-2331.↩
  3. On September 3, Ambassador Korry reported that the exchange of notes [text not declassified] had been completed. (Telegram 206 from Addis Ababa; ibid., Central Files, DEF 15-4 ETH-US)↩