Somalia remained open to Western arms on equal terms with Soviet offers

Evidence

President Osman traveled to Italy in a last-ditch effort to convince Italy and its partners to provide the military support Somalis sought: … I responded that I do not see why Somalia should not opt for the Western offer if it is similar to or more favorable than the Soviet one and that, in my opinion, the West had beaten about the bush too much with Somalia but that there is still time [to support] our needs. — Abdi Ismail Samatar, Africa’s First Democrats, 653

Categorization

• QUESTION: Segni’s question reveals the West already knew about the Soviet talks—curious how this intelligence reached them.