Selected Speeches Of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I

RECONCILIATION WITH ITALY

On this historic occasion, after so many trials and vicissitudes suffered by the nations of the world, including Our beloved people, We welcome you to Our Court as on a special mission of the new Italy to discuss the resumption of diplomatic relations between our two countries. We are sensible of the fact that you are herewith accomplishing a gesture of goodwill and friendship in coming to Our Court and by your visit to Ethiopia to testify to the end of a long and tragic period of relations between Our two countries.

We, for our part, having fully shared the sufferings of Our own beloved people, have nevertheless, always been conscious that the people of Italy, themselves, have also been victims of Fascist oppression. We have, therefore, ever been guided and inspired by the principles of Christian charity and it was in that spirit that, from the moment of Our his­toric return to Our Empire, We called upon Our faithful people to accept, respect and protect those Italians who had chosen to lead their lives among us. The thousands of your compatriots who remain here today and who participate in our national life, bear testimony to the fact that this appeal has always been heard and obeyed by Our people.

We desire nothing but peace and the opportunity quietly and without hindrance to march along the path of progress and We welcome you to Our Court as a representative of a people who, We would believe, are inspired by those same ideals and who would resolutely reject all past and future policies of aggression.

In this critical era of modern history when the world is delicately balanced between war and peace and when peace-loving people of the earth scan anxiously the horizon for some hopeful augury in these perilous hours, Our final and friendly reconciliation should be a sign of encouragement and a contribution to the strengthening of world peace.

September 7, 1951.

Electronic edition created and published online by members of the
Emperor Haile Sellassie First Theocracy Reign
Order of the Nyahbinghi

December 28, 2016