Office of the Historian

348. Memorandum of Conversation1

Washington, March 14, 1968, noon.

SUBJECT

  • Summary of discussions between the President and Prime Minister Egal of the Republic of Somalia

PARTICIPANTS

  • United States
    • The President
  • Republic of Somalia
    • H.E. Mohamed Ibrahim Egal, Prime Minister of the Republic of Somalia (Continued on Page 2)

(This conversation followed a private talk between the President and Prime Minister Egal.)

[Page 596]

The President said that the Prime Minister and he had discussed a number of things together, including developments in the Horn of Africa. He had expressed to the Prime Minister his pleasure at the reception given the Vice President in Mogadiscio and his pleasure that the Prime Minister had been able to come over to visit this country. He had also asked the Prime Minister to extend his warm regards to the President of Somalia. They had discussed, the President stated, the questions of AID and the Peace Corps. He had told the Prime Minister of his problems with the Congress with regard to AID and the continuation of bilateral assistance. He had noted, however, that, if funds were available, the United States Government was interested in assisting regional projects. Moreover, we were prepared to conclude a PL–480 agreement with the Somali Government.

The President went on to say that the USG was discreetly supporting efforts to achieve a detente in the Horn of Africa, although this was best handled by the parties directly concerned. We were most interested in the Prime Minister’s constructive work. We appreciated that some difficulties remained, and we were following these developments closely.

Prime Minister Egal stated that he had wanted to give an overall picture to the President and not bother him with details. He planned to take up more detailed matters with the Secretary and Mr. Palmer.

United States Participants:

  • The Honorable Raymond L. Thurston, American Ambassador to the Somali Republic
  • The Honorable Joseph Palmer 2nd, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
  • The Honorable James W. Symington, Chief of Protocol of the U.S.
  • Mr. Edward Hamilton, White House Staff
  • Mr. Matthew Looram, Country Director, Northeastern African Affairs

Somali Participants:

  • H.E. Haji Farah Ali Omar, Minister for Foreign Affairs
  • H.E. Ali Omar Shego, Minister of Agriculture
  • The Honorable Haji Mussa Samantar, Undersecretary of Public Works
  • H.E. Yusuf O. Azhari, Ambassador of the Somali Republic
  • H.E. Abdulrahim Abby Farah, Permanent Representative of the Somali Republic to the United Nations
  • Mr. Abdurahman Abby Farah, Chief of Cabinet
  • Colonel Abdillahi Farah Ali, Aide-de-Camp to the Prime Minister
  • Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud, Director, Planning Department, Ministry of Planning and Coordination
  • Mr. Omar Mohallim Mohamed, President, Omar Mohallim and Company
  • Mr. Ali Sheikh Mohamed, President, Ali Sheikh and Company

  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Country File, Somalia, Vol. 1, 1/64–5/68. Confidential. Drafted by Looram. The conversation was held at the White House.↩