p The Soviet Government paid a great deal of attention to setting up friendly contacts with African countries that were invested with state sovereignty. The first Soviet- Egyptian diplomatic contacts were established shortly after the proclamation of Egypt’s nominal sovereignty in 1922. Patriotic and progressive forces in the country were most interested in establishing relations with the USSR. In January 1923, during the Lausanne Conference, a delegation of the Egyptian National Party visited the USSR People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs Chicherin and spoke out in favour of establishing links with the Soviet Union. The delegation stated that now (after the abolition of the protectorate) Britain had no legal grounds to prevent Egypt from establishing relations with the USSR.

p Nevertheless, it was necessary to reckon with both the formal aspect of the matter and the fact that Egypt was still dependent on Britain. The Soviet Government, however, did all it could to establish diplomatic relations with Egypt already at that time. It decided, in spite of all the obstacles set up by the British, to enter into direct contact with the Egyptian Government. This mission was assigned to the Soviet representative in Italy V. V. Vorovsky who was a member of the Soviet delegation at the Lausanne Conference, and after his tragic death, to his successor N. I. Jordansky. In January 1924 the latter sent an official letter to the Egyptian Foreign Minister Vassif Gali Bey which said: "It is the opinion of the Soviet Government that the time has come to approach the Government of Egypt with a proposal to establish political and trade relations between our two countries, particularly in view of the firm economic ties that for many years have linked Russia and Egypt, and the profound sympathy of the peoples of the Soviet Union for the Egyptian people.”  [39•41 

p The Egyptian Government did not respond to the Soviet initiative because of the pressure brought to bear by British imperialism. Still, in the following years there were semi-official talks between Soviet and Egyptian diplomatic representatives in third countries. In 1926 such talks were 40 conducted in London by Soviet and Egyptian charges d’affaires. The Soviet side confirmed its negative attitude to the capitulation regime and its preparedness to affirm its relinquishment of extraterritorial rights and all other privileges enjoyed by tsarist Russia in Egypt.

p Though up to 1943 the USSR had no diplomatic relations with Egypt, the Soviet Government consistently pursued a policy of promoting equitable and mutually beneficial trade links in the interest of both countries. In the mid19208 a campaign to invigorate trade with the USSR was launched in Egypt. This campaign was reflected in parliamentary debates, newspaper articles and diplomatic activity. Egyptian diplomatic representatives in Britain and Turkey repeatedly suggested that the Soviet Union should buy Egyptian cotton. The Egyptian Charge d’Affaires in London noted that since there were considerable fluctuations in the price of cotton in Egypt it would have liked to sign a long-term contract on cotton deliveries to the USSR.  [40•42  The Egyptian Charge d’Affaires in Turkey informed a Soviet Embassy adviser that Egypt was most interested in establishing contacts between its cotton plantations and the Soviet textile industry.  [40•43  Egypt was also highly interested in purchasing Soviet commodities, particularly oil and oil products. In 1932 a campaign was launched in Egypt for purchasing Soviet oil products in order to get rid of the domination of oil trusts which kept on raising prices.

p The Soviet Union acceded to these requests in spite of the efforts of Egypt’s British “patrons” to inhibit the growth of Soviet-Egyptian trade.’For instance, the^USSR placed large orders for Egyptian cotton at the end of the 1920s and the beginning of the 1930s when cotton-growing, the leading branch of Egyptian economy, was very seriously affected by the drop in prices of cotton and the demand for this product particularly due to the world economic crisis. Soviet purchases somewhat eased the crisis in the Egyptian cotton market and objectively were a form of assistance to fthe Egyptian economy as a whole.

p In the early 1920s efforts were made to establish official relations with two independent African states, Liberia and Ethiopia. In 1924 the former Liberian envoy in 41 Russia Matzenow sounded out the Soviet Union’s position as regards re-establishing diplomatic relations with his country. In response to his inquiry the Soviet Government said that it was ready to hold talks on the issue. But there were no follow-up developments. In view of Liberia’s dependence on US monopolies which controlled not only its economy but political activity as well, its independent foreign policy moves were invariably countered by the USA.

p A similar situation developed four years later when the Liberian envoy in Paris hinted in a conversation with his Soviet counterpart V. S. Dovgalevsky that it was worthwhile to consider the establishment of diplomatic and trade relations between the USSR and Liberia.  [41•44 

p Replying to Dovgalevsky’s communication about his meeting with the Liberian envoy, Chicherin wrote: "I doubt that in the given circumstances thel possibility of establishing official relations with Liberia could be regarded as realistic.” Yet he instructed Dovgalevsky to find out, if he could, whether there was a chance of "establishing any relations in general".  [41•45 

p )The development of relations with Ethiopia followed approximately the same pattern. Meeting its request to set up contacts with the USSR, the Soviet Government suggested in 1924 that the two countries should establish diplomatic relations. In 1925 the possibility of Soviet- Ethiopian talks was examined by thejconsuls of both countries in Hejaz. The Ethiopian consul made it clear that the main obstacle hindering the normalisation of Ethiopian-Soviet relations was the hostile attitude of the Entente Countries. But he pointed out that "the people of Ethiopia regard the Soviet people with ’great [respect and affection.... The Abyssinians know that the Bussian people have cast off the age-old yoke of absolutism.”  [41•46 

Soviet-Ethiopian contacts were resumed in the early 1930s, but this time in the economic field. Ethiopia began to show an interest in trade with the USSR. And when reports to the effect that Ethiopia and some other countries on the Red ’Sea ’wanted to buy Soviet oil and oil products reached Moscow, an official representative of the Soyuzneftexport, a Soviet oil exporting organisation, was sent to that 42 country in 1931. As a result of his talks an agreement was signed on the delivery of consignment of oil products and ther Soviet commodities to Ethiopia.