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outlined by Mr Dulles. It would in his opinion coincide with justice and the wishes of the inhabitants to give Ethiopia certain parts of Eritrea, including the mountainous area which formed part of the Ethiopian plateau and was occupied by Christians who desired incorporation in Ethiopia. In Italian Somaliland he agreed also that an Italian trusteeship would be well justified. The United States and United Kingdom plans were attacked by the Soviet delegate, Mr Gromyko, who declared that the identity of viewpoint between the delegations was no accident. Already Britain had based the forces evacuated from Palestine in Libya, while the United States had established a huge airfield at Mellaha in Tripolitania. It was clear that the two countries were planning to establish military positions in the territories in order to prosecute aggressive plans against the Soviet Union and the " peoples' democracies." Already a policy of blatant imperialism had been pursued, the territories had been stripped of their assets and reduced to poverty, and now further exploitation was intended. The time had come, however, to end the oppression and misery which had accompanied the colonial regimes in the territories. The Soviet Union therefore proposed the establishment of a United Nations collective trusteeship for Libya, Eritrea, and Italian Somaliland. In each case the administrator would be appointed by the Trusteeship Council, while an advisory committee, including representatives of the Big Four and Italy, would assist him. Mr Gromyko claimed that these proposals, if accepted, would facilitate the progress of the territories to independence and would meet the desires of the overwhelming majority of the inhabitants. The Views of Italy and Ethiopia. The claims of Italy, which had been invited to attend the Committee, were presented on 12 April by Count Sforza. The present Italian Republic could not, he claimed, be held responsible for the deeds of the Fascist regime and should be given the opportunity of playing a part in the technical development of Africa and the advancement of the former colonies towards independence. Italy had in the past invested huge sums in Libya and was willing to continue to do so. Hostility to Italy did not exist in the territory and a large number of Italian settlers were still working in perfect accord with the people of Tripolitania. In Eritrea it would be wrong to give to Ethiopia more than an outlet to the sea at Assab. Annexation would inevitably bring about a decline in the Eritrean economy since Ethiopia would be unable to bear the financial and administrative burdens of the new territory, while the Italian inhabitants would be unable to discharge their key role in the country's economic life. Count Sforza urged that, in the interests not only of Eritrea but also of Ethiopia and other neighbouring territories, Italy be