AFRICA REVEIW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00912A002700010023-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 2, 2004
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: November 3, 1978
• Content Type: REPORT

National
p For Release 2005/04/2 Cps- RDP79TOO912AO0270
Assessment 17 }
Center
Secret
Africa Review
State Department review completed
Secret
RP AR 78-014C
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AFRICA REVIEW
SUPPLEMENT
Angola: Relations With Western Europe . . . . . . 1
The West Europeans in recent months have
encouraged and welcomed Angolan overtures
for diplomatic ties and economic assistance.
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Angola : Relations With Western Europe
The West Europeans in recent months have encouraged
and, welcomed Angolan overtures for diplomatic ties and
economic assistance. The Angolans, who launched their
drive for better relations with the West early in the
summer, have evidently decided that their economic needs
require giving high priority to such links.
Many West European officials are gratified by the
Angolan overtures because they hope that by providing
economic support, and technical assistance the West will
eventually greatly reduce Soviet and Cuban influence in
Angola. The West Europeans also have their own economic
and commercial reasons for seeking better ties with min-
eral-.rich Angola.
The West Europeans are still uncertain about the
Angolan Government's intentions toward them and are
skeptical of the government's ability to administer the
country's economy effectively and to withstand the po-
litical and military challenges of insurgent groups.
The West Europeans hope their assistance will contribute
to Angola's economic reconstruction and development and
to political moderation in Angola and throughout southern
Africa.
Portugal
Portugal's ties with its former colony are in many
ways the most complex. While many Portuguese who fled
Angola after 1974 remain hostile to the revolution there,
Portuguese President Eanes hopes that a reconciliation
with Angola will serve Portugal's commercial interest
and enhance its status as a bridge both to Angola and
to another former colony, Mozambique.
At the same time, the Portuguese want to align their
policy toward Angola with that of other Western countries,
especially the US. They have been eager to-learn about
US conditions for establishing formal relations with
Angola. Several. Portuguese officials argue that Angolan
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President Neto wants to pursue genuine nonalignment but
is restrained by the Soviets and Cubans on whom he de-
pends for internal security.
About 30,000 Portuguese remain in Angola, and this
number should increase with the return of some refugees
now in Portugal. In addition, some Portuguese technicians
are on temporary tours of service in Angola. Eanes wants
this sort of cooperation, as well as trade, to grow. At
his meeting with Neto in June he won agreement for a gen-
eral cooperation accord between the two countries to em-
phasize further Portugal's special role in Angola.
Belgium and France
Belgian and French policies toward Angola reflect
divergent approaches to southern African problems. Bel-
gium--with important interests in diamond and copper mines
in Angola and neighboring Zaire as well as in the Benguela
railroad--has sought a reconciliation between Angola and
Zaire that would curtail the activities of rebels each
shelters from the other. Similarly, to protect their
economic enterprises, the Belgians have favored a resolu-
tion of the Shaba conflict in Zaire that would allow ef-
ficient administration of the region's economy regardless
of who is in control politically.
These policies have made Belgian officials welcome
in Angola. Last month Belgian Foreign Minister Simonet
visited Angola for extensive talks on economic coopera-
tion--especially in Angolan mining and oil development,
in enlarging the port of Lobito, and in technical train-
ing and irrigation projects. Simonet also encouraged
Angola to build closer relations with the European Com-
munity by participating in the Lome Convention, a trade
and aid agreement linking the EC to over 50 developing
nations.
French officials in contrast have stressed the So-
viet and Cuban threat to Western interests in Africa, and
they have defended Zairian President Mobutu against what
they perceive to be a Cuban- and Angolan-supported threat
from Katangan rebels based in Angola.
the Neto government until lately has
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kept France at arm's length. Angolan officials have
charged that France is in league with "imperialist and
racist forces" in Africa.
The French, however, have a strong interest in
Angolan oil, and in the wake of Angola's rapprochement
with some other Western countries, Paris has reconsidered
its policy toward the Angolan Government. Angola and
France have now agreed to raise their diplomatic relations
to ambassadorial level.
Other Western Links
The West Europeans believe an Angolan tie to the
European Community through the Lome Convention would be
especially effective in drawing the Angolans away from
Soviet influence. In June, Neto asked the EC to send its
Commissioner for Aid and Development, Claude Cheysson,
to Luanda to discuss Angolan accession to the Lome Con-
vention. After his visit, Cheysson said he believes
Angola is attracted to ties with the EC partly because
the EC does not put political conditions on aid. The
EC has granted Angola observer status at talks now under
way on renegotiation of the Lome Convention.
The Community also invited the Angolan Minister of
Industry to Brussels in mid-October for talks on Angola's
foreign investment policy and on cooperation in energy
development.
T e now wants
help finance reconstruction o Benguela railroad, and
will send a delegation to Luanda in November for discus-
sions on fisheries cooperation.
West Germany
Among the EC countries, only West Germany has no
formal links with Angola. Angolan officials maintain
that Angola will not establish relations with West Germany
because Angola is concerned about the West German company
OTRAG and its rocket testing in Zaire.
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Among other West Europeans, the Italians have been
especially successful in trade negotiations with the
Angolans. British officials note Angolan interest in
commercial ties with the UK and have recently named an
ambassador to Luanda. Swedish and Dutch officials held
talks with the Angolans this spring, and Spain has con-
cluded a fishing agreement with Angola. Norway also
wants to establish diplomatic relations and has offered
to cooperate with Angola on fisheries development.
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