WORLD

MOSCOW — Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko took part in a radio and television question- and-answer program here Jan. 12, following USSR-US talks in Geneva. On the panel were correspondents from the newspapers Isvestia and Pravda; Soviet Cent-

are the main points made by Gromyko:

* * *

On the whole we evaluate the results of the Geneva meeting positively. The joint U.S.-Soviet statement speaks for itself. We agreed on the subject matter of the forthcoming talks and on the goals to be achieved. This is very important. If one strives to put an end to the arms race and _ remove the threat of war, if one strives for lasting peace, it is necessary to ensure the arms race does not begin in space. That was the main task facing particip- ants at Geneva. The U.S. administration pressed hard to prevent discussion on space questions and to leave space open

able. We pointed this out on more than one occasion, particularly before the Geneva meeting.

It was finally agreed that questions had to be dis- cussed. The joint statement, as you know, also touches upon space, which means that the view has prevailed that questions of either strategic or inter- mediate-range nuclear weapons cannot be examined . without the question of preventing an arms race in space. The U.S. side eventually agreed to accept this point of view. This is a positive fact. I would like to add that after I returned from Geneva and Secretary of State

ral TV and Radio and the agency TASS. The following

Talks must be serious — Gromyko |

Shultz returned to Washington he sent me a letter to say the U.S. government intended to abide by the accords reached in Geneva and that it regarded seri- ously the commitments assumed under those agree- ments. This is a positive sign. But, as the saying goes, we will wait and see.

to an arms race. This position is absolutely unaccept- -

Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko (I) and U.S. Secretary of State Shultz following the Geneva talks Jan. 7-8. The sides agreed to talks comprising three sets of negotia- tions: on long-range strategic nuclear weapons, on intermediate-range weapons and anti-satellite (Star Wars) weapons.

. Space and of intermediate-range weapons.

The line, political and moral, for conducting re- search to develop a large-scale missile defence system will not stand up to criticism. It is vulnerable and must be rejected ....

We say this*straightforwardly to the U.S. govern- ment, its allies and the whole world — and we talked about this at Geneva. We are speaking firmly and, I am ready to use the word, sharply. We wanted to bring this home to the U.S. administration and those who supported and continue’to support its views on questions of space ...

The talks were not easy, and sometimes very com- plicated, if not tense in the political sense of the word. We did not bang our firsts or fling eyeglasses on the table. We did not abandon that holy of holies in nu- clear arms talks — the principle of equality andequal 4 security. EB

Such was out position in the past. Such is our position now. Such will be our position in the future. This is the sound basis, the observance.of which alone makes it possible to seek accords and positive solu- tions to the issues of strategic nuclear arms, of outer

This is not a continuation of the old talks, but abso- lutely new talks. The Americans, and the Secretary of State personally, have also agreed that these new talks are not a continuation of old negotiations.

I can only speak for the Soviet side: We stand for those talks being businesslike, for the approach being serious, for the sides not being sly, for the goals set at Geneva being pursued for each, for not trying to de- ceive the other and to secure an advantage in violation

When the government of Ethiopia took up the fight to overcome the effects

of the current drought, the Soviet Union .

was one of the first countries it turned to for help. Within one week of the request from Mengistu Haile Mariam, chairman of the Ethiopian socialist government, Soviet aid was on the way to the stricken country.

Since that request was made last Oc- tober, Soviet planes, helicopters and trucks have been delivering food, medicine, clothing, tents, blankets and other prime necessities to the stricken areas. A massive resettlement program is also underway with Soviet help, involv- ing the movement of tens of thousands of people to areas where they will be able to live and work.

It was Mariam who laid down the first _

priority on behalf of his government: to transport people out of the worst-hit areas to assembly points from where they could then be moved to regions not affected by the drought. Acting on this request, the Soviet Union quickly and efficiently organized a huge air bridge.

- Twelve big Antonov cargo»planes, each

ie carrying two large MI-8 helicopters in

# crates, flew to Ethiopia via Greece, Cyp- rus, Egypt and Sudan.

These countries granted landing and refuelling privileges within 24 hours of the request.

ag Those planes and helicopters are still a aa working around the clock. Also in opera- tion is a fleet of 300 Soviet trucks and 50 support motor vehicles, for refuelling, to make repairs and for special ‘purposes. The trucks were went to Ethiopia on special roll-on, roll-off ships. There is always a big line-up of ships waiting to pass through the Suez Canal, but these Soviet ships were given priority by the Egyptian government. Unloading took place at the Ethiopian port of Assab. Public organizations assist Soviet personnel are operating the air- craft and trucks, and Soviet oil tankers are providing the fuel and lubricants to keep them working. In addition to mov- ing people, the Soviet teams are deliver-

8 e PACIFIC TRIBUNE, JANUARY 23, 1985

From Moscow |: Jack Phillips

- ing food from Ethiopian sources to other

parts of the country where the need is greatest. One hundred and fifty medical personnel from the Soviet Union are in the field, and a complete mobile hospital was flown in last December, with up-to- date equipment, instruments and medicines. :

Public organizations in the Soviet Union, including the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, have also been send- ing plane loads of food, blankets and medicine, from money donated by the general public. In addition, Soviet planes are delivering aid from other socialist countries.

A few days ago, I had an interview with P.Y. Kochelev, vice-president of the State Committee of the USSR for Foreign Economic Relations. This committee works directly under the Council of Ministers, and Kochelev’s position is equivalent to that of a deputy-minister. He is directly involved in the emergency aid program, and also in the long-term assistance the Soviet Union is giving to Ethiopia. He has vis- ited that country eight times.

Soviet aid in three stages

According to Kochelev, there have been three distinct stages in the help pro- vided by the Soviet government in the

past three months. First, the supply of _

planes, helicopters and trucks. Second, the provision of medicine, medical per- sonnel and a mobile hospital. Third, the sending of ships with construction mate- rial, beds, blankets, emergency shelter, cooking and eating utensils and other personal necessities.

Kochelev told me that Ethiopia has some food reserves, but not the transport

of the principle of equality and equal security ...

~

Huge Soviet aid effort for Ethiopia

facilities to move them from one part of ©

the country to another part far removed. In some cases, food has to be flown 800 or 1,000 kilometres over an area with no motor roads.

About 200,000 people are in the pro- cess of being moved, with Soviet help, from the worst-hit areas. They will be resettled in the more fertile Wollega reg- ion. This was recently announced by Ethiopia’s minister of health, Gizau Tsehay.

$114-million in aid

According to reliable sources here, the Soviet government had provided

- emergency aid to the value of $114-mil-

lion U.S. dollars by mid-December. This figure was arrived at by using the United Nations method of calculation, and does not include aid from public organiza- tions. The overall emergency aid pro- gram is under the direction of the Ethio- pian authorities, and Kochelev told.me that the cooperation between Ethiopian officials and their Soviet counterparts is warm and co-operative at every level. Two milestones stand out in modern Ethiopian history. In September 1974, a national democratic revolution ended 1,000 years of monarchic feudalism. In April 1976, Ethiopia announced that it had chosen to lay the basis for the transi- tion to socialism. Since that time, the Soviet Union and other socialist coun- tries have been engaged in giving long- term assistance to this country, and that

program continues. ; -

While the emergency aid program is designed to feed the hungry and to save lives, the long-term program is designed

to help provide a modern, efficient eco- .

nomic base along with the necessary infrastructure. As one Ethiopian

commentator put it: Give a hungry mana

fish and you satisfy his hunger today. Give him a fishing net, and you make it possible for him to feed himself tomor- row.

As deputy-chairman Kocheley’ told .

me, we should not forget that only six to eight per cent of the arable land in the country is being used; and that before the

Pian government and the Soviet Unio:

- Socialist world community and people.

revolution, many peasants were turni: over the soil with a stick, because the were too poor to own a plough. .

No preconditions _ While Ethiopia welcomes emergenc aid from any country, it will not acce Preconditions that encroach upon i sovereignty nor its right to adopt sociali orientation in its development: Drough' and famine took place, regrettabl under the long rule of the last empero and the U.S. said very little about it, eve when half a million people died. Now the Reagan administration is trying blame the current drought on the Ethi

and is attempting to attach unacceptab conditions to. its offer of aid. : come out of 1,000 years of despoti feudalism in order to be subjected to thi rules laid down by the reactionary U. administration. With the backing of t

good will the world over, they will ove come the present crisis without giving U their independence.