A Red Sea pact

During his trip Castro tried to strengthen Soviet influence in the Red Sea area in an interview with Egyptian newspaper Al Ahram in May, Somali President Siad Barre revealed that Castro had proposed a confederation of Democratic Yemen, Ethiopia, Somalia and independent Djibouti. This was designed to destroy the growing unity between Red Sea states. In March the Yemen Arab Republic, the People's Democratic Republic of the Yemen, Sudan and Somalia had met in Taiz to study ways of strengthening their unity and cooperation. They agreed that the Red Sea region should be one of peace and harmony for ever and that the littoral states should consult and coordinate with each other to achieve this aim.

Unity between the Red Sea littoral states strikes a blow at both superpowers, and the Soviet Union in particular which is engaged in agressive expansionism.

Later Siad Barre declared: "Russia is no different from other major powers who are foreigners in the area pursuing what they perceive to be their own interests. What we believe is that the oil lanes must be kept open, free and peaceful. And the people around these seas must take the responsibility to ensure that there is no interference by either superpower".

The Soviet Union has begun its military supplies to the Ethiopian junta. In early June, large consignments of Soviet-made military equipment, including T-34 and T-54 tanks, arrived at the Eritrean port of Assab. This will replace the US military equipment used at present by the Ethiopian forces in its attempt to defeat the Eritrean national liberation movement.