LETTER TO THE HONORABLE ANDREW YOUNG FROM ROBERT R. BOWIE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00634A000500010029-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 2, 2004
• Sequence Number: 29
• Publication Date: December 13, 1978
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved.For Release 2004A2=--- {CFA-ROP8OT00634A00 W :
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, NFAC
The attached is in response to a request by
USUN Ambassador Young to the DCI.
Approved for Releaise 2.004/12/02 CIA-R?P80TOO634AO O 0O't-M29!
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THE DIRECTOR OF
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
Deputy Director for National Foreign Assessment 13 DEC 1970
Dear Andy,
Pursuant to your request to the DCI, the
attached memorandum, drafted by of
our Africa Division, is an update on the eadership
shake-up in Angola. We are in the process of
completing a broader memorandum on Angola's leader-
ship and the ways the situation. might unfold should
Neto depart the scene. We will forward this to you
as soon as possible.
If you have follow-up questions or other
requests, please let us know.
The Honorable Andrew Young
United States Representative
to the United Nations
799 UN Plaza
New York, New York 10017
STAT
STAT
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SUBJECT: Angolan Government Reorganization
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Angola announced last Saturday a major government and party shake-
up that included the dismissal of two key members of the Political
Bureau. The move is interpreted as an effort b Angolan President Neto
to strengthen his control of the government. 25X1
Prime Minister Lopo do Nascimento and Second Deputy Prime Minister
Carlos Rocha were removed from their government and party posts at the 9
December conclusion of the four-day Extraordinary meeting held by the
MPLA-Labor Party Central Committee. The decision to depose the two
high-ranking officials--generally thought to be close to the President--
and to abolish their posts probably reflects Neto's attempts to further
solidify his power, strengthen party unity, and streamline a cumbersome
government bureaucracy. Neto reportedly had been considering for some
time abolishing the positions of prime minister and deputy prime minister,
which he blamed for making the government unresponsive and "too complicated." 25X1
The reorganization also appears to be aimed at Improving comet n' I-Ii ons
between the central government and the provinces.
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13 December 1978
RP M 78-10483
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SECRET
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SUBJECT: Angolan Government Reorganization
Nascimento had been Angola's prime minister since the country's
independence in 1975, and was considered by many to be the second most
important official in Angola. He usually ran the government in the
President's absence and apparently was not opposed to Neto's recent
attempts to establish adialogue with the West. The former prime minister
lacked an independent power base, however, and appears recently to have
The deposed second deputy prime minister, Rocha, is a mulatto who
has strong Marxist-Leninist leanings. He had been mentioned as one of
the Soviets' favorite candidates to succeed Neto.
oc a--o ten referred
o as an able economist--recently was in Cuba where he signed new agree-
ments calling for an increase in Cuban civilian advisors to Anaola.
We believe that the. government reorganization also may be partially
attributable to continued pressure from black nationalists in the party
who believe that the mulattoes retain too much power in Angola. Although
the black nationalist faction has been quiet in recent months, it is
gaining support within the party and perhaps the military. Two blacks--
Pascual Luvualu, the party spokesman for foreign affairs, and Evaristo
Dpmingos, the provincial commissioner for Cabinda--have assumed the
vacancies as full members of the Political Bureau.*
'Luvualu is not regarded as a radical Marxist, nor is he considered
to be.a militant black. Luvualu's brand of Marxism is generally regarded
as "humanist"--as is- Neto's--and this often is attributed to his lengthy
residency in Yugoslavia. Luvualu was a major participant in the Luanda
meetings with US Ambassador McHenry and has been increasingly active as
Neto's roving Ambassador and as a participant in formulating Angolan
foreign policy. In the case of Luvualu, at least, Neto appears to have
been grooming him for higher position for some time.
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Approved For Release 2004/12/02 : CIA-RDP80T00634A000500010029-0
SUBJECT: Angolan Government Reorgan%zation
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Press reports stating that Neto had himself been removed from power
apparently are false; Neto addressed the nation Sunday as President. We
have no information to indicate that Neto's position is in jeopardy,
although in his speech he mentioned that the time could me when the
party might ask him also to step down.
Although we lack conclusive evidence as to the foreign policy
orientation of Luvualu and Domingos, we strongly doubt that Neto would
bring into his inner circle individuals who oppose his policies. This,
coupled with the President's demonstrated interest in establishing ties
with the West, leads us to conclude that the government reorganization
is unlikely to have a major impact on Neto's continuin e forts to
improve relations with the West.
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 "Approved For Release 2004/12/02 : CIA-RDP80T00634A000500010029-0
SUBJECT: Angolan Government Reorganization
DISTRIBUTION:
Orig - Addressee
1 - DCI
1 - DDCI
1 - Exec Registry
2 - D/NFAC
2 - D/ORPA
1 - ORPA Production. Staff
2 - ORPA/AF Division
3 - P & PG
1 - NFAC Registry
NFAC/ORPA/AF4 11Dec78)
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