Ethiopia conceded nothing while Somalia made all concessions in the 1968 détente talks

Evidence

It is understandable that the initial meeting did not deal with the core issues between the two countries, but there was no sign that Ethiopia was willing to find a permanent resolution to the Somali Region. From the communiqué, it appears that all concessions were coming from the Somali side. Had Egal and his colleagues consulted with former president Osman about his many meetings and negotiations with the Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie, they would have understood how far apart the two parties were. Former president Osman was initially pleased with Egal’s bold approach to the issue despite knowing the emperor’s deceptive and cunning ways. Haile Selassie invited Egal to Addis Ababa September 1–5, 1968. — Abdi Ismail Samatar, Africa’s First Democrats, 1495

Categorization

• XREF: Builds on prior chapters recounting Osman’s own prior negotiations with Haile Selassie over the Somali Region.