BRIEFING ON ETHIOPIA FOR HOUSE PERMANENT SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE (HPSCI) STAFFERS MIKE O'NEIL AND DICK GIZA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B01370R001601970023-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 24, 2008
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: November 8, 1984
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2008/10/24: CIA-RDP90BO137OR001601970023-3
OLL 84-4768
8 November 1984
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Briefing on Ethiopia for House Permanent Select
Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) Staffers
Mike O'Neil and Dick Giza
1. On 8 November 1984, HPSCI staffers Mike O'Neil and
Dick Giza were briefed on the economic and political
situation in Ethiopia by Directorate of Intelligence/Office
of African and Latin American Analysis (DI/ALA) analysts
The HPSCI staffers requested an
update on the famine situation and inquired about the
quality and quantity of reporting. The analysts discussed
the range of sources and pointed out the numerous
difficulties in estimating the shortfall in Ethiopia's food
needs. With regard to finished intelligence, it was pointed
out that the Agency does not have prime responsibility for
producing intelligence on natural disasters such as this and
that USAID, the Commerce Department and other federal
agencies presumably share inform that is not routinely
available to Agency analysts.
2. The briefing then turned to a general discussion o
the Ethiopian political scene and Chairman Mengistu's
military government. Ethiopia's military position in the
northern provinces of Eritrea and Tigray has eroded since
its 1982 offensive but Addis Ababa appears firmly committed
to either crushing the insurgencies militarily or forcing a
political settlement on its terms. At the same time, the
insurgents are unlikely to achieve a decisive military
victory due to weapons shortages. Soviet and Cuban support
for the Mengistu regime was also discussed.
3. In response to questions about Ethiopian insurgent
exile groups, the briefers indicated the exiles are likely
to be poorly informed and warn against giving them or
their claims much credence.
Approved For Release 2008/10/24: CIA-RDP90BO137OR001601970023-3
 Approved For Release 2008/10/24: CIA-RDP90B01370R001601970023-3
4. Following the briefing, I sent a copy of the
briefers' recent research paper,
HPS for the s a ers.
October 1984 t
lu~', also attended
the briefing and remained witn Lne sta=Leis LuL a Lw
briefing which) immediately followed the Ethiopian
discussion.
Liaison Division
Office of Legislative Liaison
Chief, Liaison Division
Distribution:
Orig - OLL Record
1 - OLL Chrono
2 - Liaison Division
OLL/LD (3 Dec 84)
25X1
25X1
25X1
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Approved For Release 2008/10/24: CIA-RDP90B01370R001601970023-3