119. Telegram 262137 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Ethiopia1 2
Subject:
- Actions Taken With Regard to Economic and Military Assistance to Ethiopia
Reference:
- Addis Ababa 14026 and 14154
1. In view of the executions which took place in Addis Ababa last Saturday and Embassy’s recommendations as expressed in reftel, the Department has made the following decisions which are strictly FYI only and are not repeat not to be conveyed to Ethiopian Government.
A) Until further notice or in the absence of specific instructions to the contrary, no additional military equipment will be delivered to Ethiopia, no additional U.S. military personnel will be assigned there, and no new military agreements will be concluded.
B) Until further notice or in the absence of specific instructions to the contrary, no new agreements will be concluded with Ethiopia in the fields of economic aid or drought relief, recovery and rehabilitation.
2. The foregoing has been coordinated with DOD/ISA, and with AID. In response to press queries today re status of AID programs. Dept. spokesman indicated they were qte under review unqte. Dept. spokesman deliberately refrained from referring to policy decisions set forth above which we believe will probably become known in time. Full text of spokesman’s remarks contained septel.
3. Your 14154 just received. Decision to defer MAP deliveries to Ethiopia and conclusion of any new military or economic assistance arrangements reflects very strong public and private reaction against November 23rd executions and concern that ex-emperor will be next victim. Department press spokesman today was pressed very hard regarding extent to which USG is endeavoring to intervene with PMG in order to avert further tragedy. We have already received a number of congressional inquiries (e.g. Senators Kennedy and Hughes, Congressmen Diggs and Hays) regarding situation in Ethiopia, fate of Haile Selassie, and USG policy toward most recent developments there.
4. For these reasons as well as our concern for longer term US-Ethiopian relations, we believe military authorities should be aware of widespread private and public attention their actions have drawn this country. While not announcing policy decisions we have taken (paras a and b above) in military and economic assistance fields, we believe it was essential to indicate, as Department spokesman did indicate today, that our programs are under review lest USG appear to be indifferent to what has occurred. Wish emphasize these decisions strictly FYI only.
5. Foregoing also is basis for our instruction to you re approach to Ethiopian authorities on Haile Selassie, notwithstanding assurances Embassy had received from Foreign Ministry, and which you reported by telephone, that al-Nahar report was without foundation. Accordingly, you should make maximum effort obtain categoric assurances that no further executions will take place and that Haile Selassie’s life will be spared. You should also state in our judgment world opinion would be satisfied with nothing less.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Policy Files, 1974. Confidential; Flash; Exdis. Repeated Immediate to DOD and to USCINCEUR. Drafted by Barrett and Blake; cleared by AID/AFR/ESA, PM, AF/E, and S/S; approved by Sisco ↩
- The Department advised the Embassy that in the wake of the events of November 23, it had decided to suspend shipment of additional military equipment to Ethiopia and to conclude no new development agreements.↩