117. Telegram 25 From the Secretary’s Delegation in Isfahan to the Embassy in Ethiopia1 2
Subj:
- Aman’s Request for Military Assistance
Charge should deliver following personal message from Secretatry to General Aman:
“My dear General Aman, I am taking this opportunity to write to you in connection with the conversations that have been held in Washington and in Addis Ababa between our two governments regarding Ethiopian military requirements. Let me begin by assuring you that this is a subject that has received my personal attention over the past several weeks and that it is one with which I will continue to concern myself because of the long-standing ties between Ethiopia and the United States. The continued interest of the United States in Ethiopia has recently been manifested by our special economic assistance and drought relief programs as well by the diversion of certain military equipment from U.S. armed forces Europe in order to meet Ethiopian priority military needs.
“Ever since Finance Minister Negash met with [Page 2] Under Secretary of State Sisco in Washington earlier this month. We have been giving careful consideration to your request for additional military assistance through grant aid or foreign military sales credits. Our consideration of this problem has been complicated by the fact that the Congress has not yet acted on the foreign assistance legislation for fiscal year 1975 and by congressional limitations on the total of military assistance to Africa. In these circumstances, and as a gesture of the United States desire to continue to be as helpful as possible to Ethiopia, I have directed that dols 8.3 million in direct foreign military sales credits be made available to Ethiopia immediately out of the interim military authorization the Congress has approved.
“Our Charge d’Affaires has described to me the continuing concern of the Ethiopian Government regarding the naming of a new U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia. You will recall that an Ambassador had been named but was unable to take up his responsibilities because of personal reasons. I would like you to know that we are now working urgently on the selection of a new Ambassador, and I expect to be able to submit a name to you very soon.
“I trust, General Aman, that you will accept the assurances contained in this letter and the decision I have made regarding military credit assistance as evidence of the continued good will of the U.S. toward Ethiopia and of my personal desire to strengthen the relations between our two countries to the maximum extent possible.”
- Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box CL 137, Geopolitical Files, Ethiopia, 3 Nov. 1974–25 Sept. 1975. Confidential; Niact Immediate. Repeated Niact Immediate to the Department.↩
- Secretary of State Kissinger, traveling in Iran, transmitted a personal message to General Aman, informing him of a decision to make $8.3 million in direct foreign military sales credits available to Ethiopia.↩