THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 1 OCTOBER 1977

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06476745
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 29, 2019
• Case Number: F-2018-01461
• Publication Date: October 1, 1977

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THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
1 October 1977
2
-ToPmGmz_
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1 October 1977
Table of Contents
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At Annex, we discuss President Machel of Mozambique.
ecord
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NOTES
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PRESIDENT MACHEL OF MOZAMBIQUE
In his talks with you, President Samora
Machel will be seeking to measure US
resolve on the Rhodesian problem and
intentions toward South Africa Machel
has long had close relations with the
major Communist powers and is deeply
suspicious of the US He has responded
constructively, however, to recent US
efforts in southern Africa, and he does
not permit the USSR to exert undue in-
fluence in Mozambique
Machel, 45, has spent much of his adult
life as a guerrilla fighter As Mozam-
bique's first president, Machel has
proved to be an able national leader
He is tough-minded, has an engaging
personality, and is a skilled public
speaker
he is a fast learner
President Machel
Despite his strong ideological bent, Machel is a pragmatist when
necessary In his relations with the hated regime in South Af-
rica, for example, he avoids any open diplomatic contact and at-
tacks South African policies at every opportunity, but he has
not cut off the extensive and profitable economic links that the
Portuguese rulers in Mozambique developed with Pretoria
Machel remains the unchallenged and pre-eminent figure in the
ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) and the government
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The President's authority rests, as in most other African_coun-
tries, on the continued loyalty of the army and police. There
appears to be no organized dissent from within the military since
a brief mutiny of discontented police and army personnel was
quashed in December 1975.
Mozambique's relations with the US have improved markedly in the
past few months and are now better than at any time since Mozam-
bique became independent in 1975. Machel, however, has not for-
gotten that the US maintained close relations with Portugal dur-
ing the colonial period and perhaps still does not fully under-
stand why the US did not materially aid the Mozambican insurgency.
Machel and the other frontline presidents see US involvement in
southern Africa largely motivated by anti-Soviet and anti-Cuban
considerations rather than by moral factors. The US role in the
current UK-US initiative on Rhodesia and your policy toward South
Africa, however, have given him second thoughts. Machel will be
weighing the strength of the US commitment and its political and
moral determinants; in his view, the burden of proof will be on
the US.
Machel and the officials with him will discuss possible aid proj-
ects and US private investments. They will also give their views
on the Indian Ocean and other foreign policy concerns, but the
center of attention probably will be Rhodesia. Machel has ex-
pressed concern that Rhodesia could fall into disarray during
the transition period.
To avoid this, he has endorsed the proposed UN peacekeeping force
and has counseled the Patriotic Front to accept the UN presence.
Until recently, Machel has maintained that a settlement in Rho-
desia can be imposed only by military means. His newfound and
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cautious interest in negotiations may have resulted from the in-
fluence of Presidents Nyerere of Tanzania and Kaunda of Zambia,
who place a higher priority on negotiations. More important,
Machel may have been encouraged by assurances that the US backs
no particular nationalist leader or faction and intends to work
with whoever emerges in an independent Zimbabwe government. Al-
though Machel is willing to discuss Rhodesia, this does not mean
he will back US positions in the UN and elsewhere on other mat-
ters.
Relations with Communist States
Despite his close relations with the USSR and Cuba, Machel re-
mains deeply committed to nonalignment. The Soviets apparently
have been unable to use their leverage to influence Machel to
any extent, particularly on matters concerning Rhodesia. As a
counterweight to Moscow, Machel is pressing to restore the
warm ties with China that existed during the insurgency.
Relations with Others
Machel 's closest African ally is Nyerere, with whom he consults
often on Rhodesia. A special relationship also exists with
Kaunda, primarily on the Rhodesian problem. Machel counts Ango-
lan President Neto among his personal friends. In addition,
Mozambique maintains friendly relations with such "progressive"
African states as Guinea, Congo, the other former Portuguese
colonies, Somalia, and Algeria.
Outside Africa, Mozambique maintains close ties with the Scandi-
navian countries, which strongly supported the Mozambican insur-
gents. Machel 's visit to Scandinavia in May was his first trip
to Western countries since independence.
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