DRAFT WIRELESS FILE STORY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B01370R000801110110-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 2, 2008
• Sequence Number: 110
• Publication Date: November 29, 1984
• Content Type: CABLE

Approved For Release 2008/12/02 : CIA-RDP90BO1370R000801110110-9
UNCLASSIFIED
OLL/LD
INCOMING
PAGE 001
TOR: 291151Z NOV 84
STAT
00 RUEAIIB
ZNR UUUUU ZOC STATE ZZH
UTS2391
00 RUEHC
DE RUTABA #5735 3341130
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
0 R 291058Z NOV 84
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHIA/USIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1393
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8260
BT
UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 5735
USIAC
FOR P/PFA
ED 12356: NA
SUBJECT: DRAFT WIRELESS FILE STORY
ADDIS ABABA -- THE UNITED STATES IS DIVERTING AN ASIAN-BOUND
SHIP TO ETHIOPIA AS PART OF AN EMERGENCY EFFORT TO SUPPLY
FOOD TO THIS FAMINE-STRICKEN AFRICAN NATION. THE SHIP,
CARRYING 10,000 TONS OF HIGH PROTEIN FOOD. IS SCHEDULED TO
REACH ETHIOPIA IN MID-DECEMBER, HELPING TO AVERT A SHORTFALL
IN RELIEF SUPPLIES NEXT MONTH. A U.S. CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION
REPORTED THE EMERGENCY ACTION BY THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION
AT A NEWS CONFERENCE HERE WEDNESDAY AT THE CONCLUSION OF A
FACT-FINDING MISSION TO ETHIOPIA.
SPENT THREE DAYS VISITIN L'ENTERS AND MEETING WITH
ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, INCLUDING CHAIRMAN MENGISTU
HAILE MARIAM.
MR LELAND IS HE CHAIRMAN OF A SELECT CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE
ON HUNGER. ITS MISSION WAS TO TAKE AN ON-SITE LOOK AT THE
AID EFFORT AND SEE WHAT MORE THE UNITED STATES MIGHT DO FURTHER.
DESPITE POLITICAL DIFFERENCES WITH THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT,
THE UNITED STATES IS THE LARGEST DONOR OF HUMANITARIAN
ASSISTANCE FOR THE ESTIMATED 6.4 MILLION ETHIOPIANS WHOSE
LIVES ARE AT RISK.
IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS ALONE, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS COMMITTED
MORE THAN 100 MILLION DOLLARS IN ASSISTANCE. THIS INCLUDES
215,000 METRIC TONS OF FOOD.
MR LELAND, A MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITION DEMOCRATIC PARTY,
SAID HE WAS PLEASED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION'S ASSISTANCE
ADDING, HOWEVER, EVEN MORE ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED FROM THE
AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL DONORS.
EFFORT,
U.S.
SPEAKING, HE SAID, FOR HIS ENTIRE DELEGATION, MR LELAND
DECLARED: "WE WILL DO OUR PART AS A NATION AND AS A PEOPLE."
EARLIER, IN MEETING WITH OFFICIALS OF ETHIOPIA'S RELIEF AND
REHABILITATION COMMISSION, MR LELAND STRESSED THIS POINT,
SAYING "THE PEOPLL'AW' HE U.S. GO" KENT HAVE'RESPONDED
IN A BIG WAY."
UNCLASSIFIED
STAT
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THE CONGRESSIONAL GROUP MADE FLYING VISITS TO THE MAJOR
PORT OF ASSAB AND TO RELIEF CENTERS AT MAKELLE AND KOREM
IN NORTHERN PART OF ETHIOPIA.
"WE HAVE SEEN WHAT WE WANTED TO SEE AND WE HAVE SPOKEN TO
WHOM WE WANTED," MR LELAND SAID. HIS CONCLUSION, HE SAID,
WAS THIS: "THE PEOPLE OF ETHIOPIA NEED MORE HELP THAN THEY
ARE GETTING."
EVEN AS MR LELAND WAS SAYING THIS, OFFICIALS OF THE U.S.
AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT WERE WORKING URGENTLY
TO LOCATE FOODSTUFFS THAT COULD BE DIVERTED TO HELP ALLEVIATE
A DECEMBER SHORTFALL. A SHIP HEADED FOR ANOTHER COUNTRY WITH
A ROUTINE DELIVERY WAS LOCATED AND SENT STEAMING FOR ETHIOPIA.
THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION SPENT AN ENTIRE DAY TUESDAY IN
MEETINGS WITH ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. THEY OPENED
THE DAY WITH A LENGTHY SESSION WITH DAWIT WOLDE GIORGIS,
COMMISSIONER OF THE RELIEF AND REHABILITATION COMMISSION,
FOLLOWED BY SESSIONS WITH MINISTER OF HEALTH GIZAW TSEHAY;
MINISTER OF LABOR BERHANU BAYIH AND WITH A 90-MINUTE MEETING
WITH CHAIRMAN MENGISTU.
IN REPLY TO NEWSMEN'S QUESTIONS ON HIS MEETING WITH
MR MENGISTU, THE CONGRESSMAN REPLIED: "WE HAVE NOW AN OPPORTUNITY
TO GO BACK TO OUR COUNTRY TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT
OF ETHIOPIA IS IN FACT WILLING VERY MUCH, DELIGHTED, TO WORK
WITH US AS A COUNTRY. THERE IS A MESSAGE THAT WAS GIVEN TO US
BY MR MENGISTU AND THAT IS THAT HE WANTS TO DEVELOP MUCH
BETTER RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR COUNTRIES IN ORDER THAT WE NOT
ONLY SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS IN THE SHORT TERM BUT ALSO THAT WE
LOOK FORWARD TO A LONG WORKING RELATIONSHIP IN THE FUTURE...".
KORN
END OF MESSAGE UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
Approved For Release 2008/12/02 : CIA-RDP90BO1370R000801110110-9