JPRS ID: 9644 NEAR EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORT

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• Content Type: REPORTS

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JPRS L/9644 -
3 Apri1 1981 =
,
i~0ear East North ~frica Re ort 4
~
CFOUO 12/81)
~B~$ FOREIGN BRJADCAST IN~ORMATION SERVICE _
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JPRS L/9644 -
3 April 1981 ~
.
_ NEAR EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORT
~ (FOUO 12/$1)
CONTENTS
INTER-ARAB ArFAIRS
Rabat See~cs Diplomatic Resolution of Saharan Conflict
(MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITBR~ltANEENS, 13 Feb 81) 1 ,
_ ~
Khalid al-Fahum idotes Arab Meeting's Results -
- (Wilfredo Fernandez; PRELA, 12 Mar 81) 4 ~
AFGHANISTAN -
- Deputy Prime Minister Keshtmand Interviewed by 'BOHEMIA'
(Teresa riederos; BOHLMIA, 23 Jan 81) 6 -
ALGERIA =
_ Meeting Emphasizes Cooperation With Italy on Energy, ~il Projects
(MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERR.ANEENS, I3 Feb 81) 10
- , Bilateral Relations With Netherlands -
(MARCHES TROPICAliX ET :ViEDITERRANEENS, 13 Feb 81) 12
Briefs -
_ Support for POLISARIO 14
New Airport , 14
Cooperation With Czechoslovakia 15
Thr.ee Do11ar Per Barrel Surcharge Removed 15
Japan CP Talks With FLN ' 15
U.5. Gas Deliveries 16
' Gas Price Talks Wibh Mexico 16
LEBANON
President Sham'un Discusses Current Arab Events =
- ~ (Camille Sham'un Interview; AL-WATAN AL-'ARABI,
30 Jan-5 Feb 81} 17
- a - [III - NE & A - 121 FOUO] -
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WESTERN SAHARA
SDAR Will Seek 'Other Support' if Military Situation Demands 24
(Mohamed Lamine Interview; AFRIQUE-ASIE, 2-15 Mar 81)..........
Brief s 31
JCP-POLISARIO Front Talks
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INTER-ARAB AFFAIRS
RABAT SEEKS DIPLOMATIC RESOLUTION OF SAHARAN CONFLICT
Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEllITE~~RANEENS in French 13 Feb 81 pp 350-351
[Text] Morocco does not seem to have come away with any diplomatic advantages
from the Islamic Summ~t in Taif, as far as the fo~mer Spanish Sahara is concerned.
In fact, the plenary session on that occasion left the matter to the Organization
of African Unity, which for several years has been in charge of that problem and
very active in its mediation efforts. t}n the other hand, and contrary to the ex-
pectations of a good Fart of Moroccan opin~on, the high level contacts made pos-
sible at the time on Saudi soil have on'ly permitted a banal exchange o~ inconse-
quential courtesies between the Moroccan Monarch and the Algerian PrAsident (see
= MTirt of 6 Februa.ry, p 287) .
It is true, as a result of the extremely cautious attitude of the Islamic states,
that the POLISARIO Front has reason to be equally disappointed. In fact, its
Assistant Secretary General, Bachir Mustafa Sayed, declared on 25 January for the
benefit of th.e summit leaders assembled at Taif: "To tak~ up the Zianist chal-
lenge, and to bring about a reconciliation between th2 warring Islamic factions,
are the ur,gent primary tasks cf an Islamic nation." If the first of these tasks
held the total attention of the conference, the second has been prudently circum-
vented.
" King Hassan II, to a11 appearances has persisted in the hope that his presidency
of the E1 Qods (Jerusalem) Committee, will end up giving him an opportunity for
~ meaningful talks with the representatives of Algeria, a leading member of the
Arab steadfastness Front. Morocco, on the other hand, continues to believe, in
spite of denials, that discreet discussions are being conducted, albeit at a much
lower level.
The Moroccan foreign ministry continues to assert that Algeria has all sorts of
- leverage with the Western Saharans and seems eager to diversify diplomatic ef-
f orts that would permit such a decidedly difficult approach. On the eve of the
French Prime Minister's visit to Morocco, the head of the Moroccan governmenty
Maati Bouabid, stated that it was up to his country and Algeria "to final~y de-
cide on an end to the conflict," and added, that it would particularly suit a
- country like France to participate in the establishment of a"dialog and nego-
tiating process with Algeria,.. either directly or within the frameworlc of a com-
mon undertaking ~f the EEC, or jointly with other countries, enjoying similar
- confidence, such as Tunisia or Saudi Arabia." (LE MONDE, 22 Janua.ry 1981).
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- Mr Raymond Barre nevertheless remained very reserved, alluding to "respect for -
the demands of justice and security" in offering his opinion tfiat "this was the
price of the patient search for a political settlement of the Saharan conflict--
which France desires and to which it would not refuse to contribute if such were
desired."
Not long ago West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, while also on an official
visit to Morocco, was forced to comment on the same subject and did so with equal
caution.
- On the other hand, it was necessary to give up the dwindling hope of involving
Spain in eff ective diplomatic cooperation on the subject of her former terri-
tories. To make their partners pay dearly, the Moroccan negotiators have refused
= to renew the Spanish-Moroccan fishing agreement. By striking at the economy of
Spain, and especially that of the Canary Islands, Morocco's intransigence would
seem to be a means to render the Government in Madrid more cooperative on the
Sahara subject, but the success of such a maneuver remains questionable.
The Opinion of the West
- The trend of opinion in Europe and the United States is, moreover, r_ot of the
kind to satisfy the Moroccan leaders. If it~s true that the public at large,
whose attention to forei.gn events has been riveted on Poland, Iran and the Gulf,
has generally ignored the Saharan conflict, political circles have been giving
it increased attention. On the one hand, they are sensitive to the claims for
self-determination, held by the Saharan side, and on the other hand to the fact
that the POLISARIO control a large part of the territory they claim.
- The "Parliamentary Group for the Study of the Western Sahara," established in
~ctoher 1980 by 35 deputies representing the four principal departments of the
French National Assembly, sent a five member delegation in early January to the
POLISARIO. The latter had them travel a thousand kilometers in liberated "Sa-
- haran territoxy," push on as far as Lebouirate, a southern Moroccan post, de-
stroyed several months ago, and all the way to Haouza, seat of the Saharan Demo-
cratic Arab Republic situated 60 km to the east of Smara.
According to Morocco's contention, a trek of this kind in desert is no more sig-
nificant than the long-distance military expeditions the POLISARIO boast about.
"The Royal armies," declared Prime Minister Maati Bouabid, "are in total control
of the area. Neither the incursions of the POLISARIO, nor their suicide mis-
sions, nor their triumphant cotmnuniques will change anything...." Meanwhile,
the decl.arations of the Director of the Studies Group, Alain Vivien, asserting
- the existence of a"Saharan reality within the boundaries of the former colonial
borders, in which a nation is establishing itself" (LA CROIX, 13 Janu.ary) and the
POLISARIO control of "nine tenths of Western Saharan territory" (LE MONDE, 11 Jan-
- uary) have had sufficient impact on the Eu;.opean pol~.tical scene for the semi-
official Moraccan information service to point out the unilateral character of
that mi.ss~on and for its foreign ministry to discreetly express the desire that
_ such parliamentary inquiries not be repeated.
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The Saharan propaganda effort is presently directed--in a very particular way--
toward the Europear~ youtfi. In this regard, with the help of the Pan-African
Youth Movement and the National Union of Algerian Youth, a Conference of Soli-
darity with the Saharan people is scheduled to be held in Rome on 14 and 15 Feb-
, ruary.
y Mili.tary Operations '
- D~xring the first weeks of 1981, the operations--always very active--of Moroccan
forces and elements of the POLISARIO, took place mostly either in the Ras A1 -
Khanfra sector, midway betwe~en Smar~la and Tan Tan, or near Bou Craa, the large
phosphate mining center of the formEr Spanish Sahara.
The Saharan command has reported particularly violent engagements near Ras A1 ~
Khanfra on 7 and 22 January, The fierceness of the POLISARIO in that region
- shows their willingness to maintain, as best they can, an access route to the _
"undisputed Moroccan territory," to prevent the re-supply of Moroccan outposts
in the region and to put obstacles in the path of Expansion to Che south-west of
the Moroccan "blockade" which is parC of the defenses of D~ebel Ouarksiz. The
Moroccan reaction is very strong, and it doesn't look like the POLISARIO have
gained any notable advantages in this region lately. _
On the other hand, on 7 January Saharan elements launched a surprise attack
against the Moroccan defense in the Bou Craa region, which seems to have had some
success. ~
- Meanwhile, the Moroccan side is emphasizing the considerable losses sustained by
_ POLISARIO elements during their attacks on permanently reinforced Moroccan posi-
~ tions as well as the progressive decrease over the past several months, of the
= pace of operations launched by the Saharans. The POLISARIO side, as reported on
24 January by their representative in Europe, Mohamed Padhel, estimates that the -
Moroccan strategy is now reduced to a"fanciful idea of defending one very small
parcel of land in the Western Sahara."
- Diplomatic Plans
After receiving, without surprise, Iran's declaration severing diplomatic rela-
tions with Rabat, 24orocco's foreign ministry is trying to find firmer support
_ from the Middle East Arab nations, traditionally friendly to them: King Hassan
is reportedly planning an early trip to Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and pos-
sibiy Saudi Arabia.
The Saharan Democratic Arab Republic, for its part, is determined to gain its
_ admission this year to the Organization of African Unity. Its Minister for For-
eign Affairs, Ibrahim Hakim, told the Ethiopian Press Agency on 1 February, that
he wi11 insist on tfiat at the Ministers' Conference of that organization, sched-
uled for the end of February, noting that a simple ma~ority of the member nations _
has already declared itself so in favor.
COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981
9739
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INTER-ARAB AFFAIRS
KIj�ALID AL-FAHUM NOTES ARAB MEETIIvG' S RESULTS
_ PA14162'L Havana PRELA in Spanish 2105 GMT 12 Mar 81
- [Report by Wilfredo Fernandez]
_ [Text] Algi~rs, 12 Mar (PL)--Khalid al-Fahum, head uf the Palestine National _
Council (parliament), has condemned the arrogance of the incumbent U.S. adminis-
- tration, which wants to keep the entire Middle East in it-s grip.
Al-Fahum, head of the Arab Parliamentary Union, told PRENSA LATINA that the
second congress of this body, which recently closed in Algiers, adopted common
stands on serious current dangers.
He warned that the new U.S. secretary of state, Gen Alexander Haig, "will make a
tour of the Arab nations to try to place them in the grip of U.S. power with the
- haughtiness and arrogance that characterizes the administration of Ronald
Reagan." ~
The United States, he said, wants to set up alliances with those Arab govern-
ments that wi11 allow them to undermine the cause of the peoples of the region,
to try to water down the support for Palestinian resistance and to attack the
nonaligned movement.
"The dangers of this visit must be der.ounced and the need to maintain the inde- -
pendence and concerted action of the nonaligned movement must be played up," he
underlined. -
A1-Fahum also explained that the second union council d~cided "to broacten its -
relations, including dialogue with the legislatures in Latin America, Africa and
the socialist countries, this year."
He 5tated that parliamentary representatives;-from Latin America have been
invited eo attend the Inter-Arab Council meeting scheduled to be held in _
Damascus in April.
"We think of the Soviet Union as a friend and ally which supports the PLO at all -
international meetings and endorses the Palestinian people's right to establish
its independent state on Palestinian soil," he noted.
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- The congress is an important step in ttie work of the Arab Council and, following
- Kuwait's recent entry, the council ~s now made up of 13 nations, he indicated. -
He explained that "even though some Arab countries still don't have legis-
laCures, cooperatiort among us is strong and it is advancing toward the reinforc e- .
- ment of unity."
Regarding the Iranian-Iraqi conflict, he said: "The congress has decided that
we should do everything possible to stop this war because it is diverting our
efforts from the main objective, which is to defend the Palestinian cause." -
- He added that "we have agreed to reinforce Arab unity to fight the dangers -
threatening it, particularly the work of imperialism aimed at liquidating the
- Palestinian people."
_ "Here we have stated our unity against the regime of al-Sadat and against the
work of President Reagan, t~~th of whom slander the PLU so as to ~ustify their
acts of aggr.ession against the Palestinians," he pointed out.
"The Arabs have firmly opposed all these enemy plans and I can assert that the -
Palestinian cause has come out of this congress stronger," al-Fahum said.
He also noted that "the military activities of the Palestinian combatants from
Lebanon (?are limited) to defending ourselves against Israel's attacks; there- -
_ fore, any pretext used by imperialism and Zionism referring to Lebanon's terri-
torial integrity is false."
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AFGHANISTAN ~
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER KESHTN,AND INTERVIEWED JBY ' BOHII~l~A' -
_ Havana BOHEMIA in Spanish 23 Jan 81 pp 66-67
[Report of Interview with Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Sultan 'Ali Keshtmand by ~
Teresa Mederos lliaz of BOHEMIA in Havana; date and time not given]
- [Text] "Afghanistan defeated the aggressions by North American imperialism, the
Chinese hegemonists anci the forces of world reaction, particularly the reaction-
aries of our region who have imposed an undeclared war on us for which they use _
' the territory of Pakistan from which they act to undermine our revolution, our
people..."
With these words of accusation, Sultan Ali Keshtmand, chief of the Afghan -
delegation to the Second Congress of tfie Communist Party of Cuba, prepares to
- give us a picture of the situation in his country. To the fc~regoing he adds: -
- "At this time there are some 80 military training camps in Pakistani territory -
and also in Tsenquian in Chinese territory. *~tercenaries are being trained in .
th~~se camps for the purpose of carrying out sabotage in Afghanistan. They burn
scti'~ols, hospitals and so forth. ThEy are antisocial individualss professional
- thi~ves, murderers and counterrevolutionaries. Among them are North American,
- Pakistani, Chinese, Egyptian and other agents. We have proof of all those
- criminal actions and of their origins because we have captured many of those �
agents and hundreds of thousands of weapons they have used to attack our country. -
_ Those weapons are manufactured in the Uni~ed States and China. We also have -
documents which they have distributed among our people. They are the proof we
have and no one can deny it." -
_ As to the objectives pursued by these constant attacks against Afghanistan, the
leader of the People's Demecratic Party, the leading force of the country, tells
us:
"They have wanted to create difficulties far our people and interrupt normal life. _
- Their objectives are the elimination of our revolution, our gains and our success-
es. They have caused m�uch material damage, particularly to our economy. Those
bandits are actually mercenaries who sell themselves for North Americun dollars. -
They infiltrate in small groups to attack those primary objectives of our people
_ such as housing, transportation, schools and then they flee."
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"Many of the large aroups have been eliminated in our territory; only small
- groups who are not capable of making irontal attacks against our army remain now.
This is a struggle wliich continues, and will continue for some time. You know
- that tlie imperialists always try to carry out criminal actions against a soCial-- _
ist revolution for tk~e benefit of ttie masses, against a democratic revolution.
Our revolution is of a democratic, progressive and socialist nature. That is
. why the imperialists attack us, liowever, we are sure and confident that the _
present situation will not last for long aud that the groups of bandits and _
terrorists sha11 be eliminated. We shall eliminate those bands with patience
and determination."
He strongly emphasized that "A hard fight is being waged but I repeat to you
~ with all conf idence that we shall w'1.n it. Victory is ours, counterrevolutionary
resistance shall be eliminated. The progressive ~arces, the so^ialist community,
and particularly the great Soviet Union, are with us. We have their solidarity ~
~ and sympathy; we have the support af all the progressive torces of the ~vorld."
As to the reply by the people to those aggressions, Sul~.an Ali Kishtmand says
= that "The Af ghan people will react vigorously in defense of their sovereignty.
"Tr~e most important thing is that in the past year of this second phase of our
revolution under the leadership of Babrak I:armal, the party and the peopl~ are
- increasingly united. It is a process which advances and the people trust in the
patriotic line of the party and the government and axe prepared to hetp in the
fight to eliminate those tiandits..."
- The Afghan ~eader then said that throughout the country the systems of people's
government loyal to t~le People's Democraric Party, which is the undeniabl~ van-
guard of the working class, are being strengthened and that they are loyal to r
- the government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. ~
"LJe are optimistic; we are sure that we shall be successful. There are many
obstacles but gradually we shall overcome diffi.culties and win," Sultan `N.i
Keshtmand emphasized strongly. He is a man of fluid conversation, who _
communicate s easily ro establish a pleasant dialog which is much more than a
question and answer interview despite the language barrier.
_ De~ving further into the internal work of the Afghan revolut~on, he says i:hat at
this time We are engaged in carrying out a realistic program for the con-
struc~tion oF a new society, the socialist society. 'i'hat is our objective,
. although at this time we are advancing along the ptiase of the democratic- _
national revolution. Today all our efforts are directed towards fulfillment
of the obj ectives and goals of this phase so that we may then advance toward -
~ socialism. -
"We have much backwardness in the economy. We must not forget that the -
~ Afghan revo lution took place at a time in which feudal and semifeudal conditions
_ prevailed. Those traces and their consequences must be eliminated, as must the
- consequences of capitalist domination. This is the fundamental thing at this
- time so that later we may dir.ect development toward socialism.
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"This is guaranreed," emphasized Keshtma.nd, adding that he can speak this way
because "political power is in the hands of the party af the working class; it is
_ a single power. To organize the working class under the Ieadersliip of the
People's Democratic Party, we are in the process of organizing the Fatherlarid ~
Democratic Front, wfiich will include all ~he democratic and patriotic forces,
all the social classes U~ the country, so ttiat we may organize tfiem to orient
their activities toward tfie tasks of the construction of the new socialist
society."
The interview took ~lace after the Second Congress of the Communist Party of
Cuba, before which Sultan 'A1i Keshtmand spoke as chief of the delegation of his
country invited to this top event of the Cuban Communist. Short].y afterward,
- reports from Kabul brought the news that a national conference was held,
attended by more than 1,500 delegates, representatives of all sectors of Afghan
society. During that conference, directed by Babrak Karmal, it was agreed to
' create the Fatherland Democratic Front, and on following days there were _
demonstrations of support for this ir~itiative in variou.s parts of the country.
_ The vice president of the republic and deputy pri.me minister, Keshtmandi, is
also in charge of the tasks of planning at this time. On this he says that "We
shall put into practice the general laws of the socialist society under the _
= specif ic conditions of our country. Obviously, we shall keep in mind the _
experiences of other countries, among them those of Cuba, whose revolution also -
bepan under conditions of backwardness and underdevelopment, as is happening
in our count ry . "
He said that at this time the Afghan party has many skilled cadres in alI regions
~ of the country and they work with great enthusiasm and self-sacrifice. Once more
he speaks of international support and the A~ghan revolution:
"Again I point out the fact that we feel deeply gratefu]. for international
revolutionary solidarity. At the center of this solidarity is the Soviet Union, -
~ which in an unselfish manner endeavors to help us, loyal to the principles of
_ proletarian internationalism and its own Lenini$t international policy. We are
- also very grateful to all the socialist countries and to all the forces of the -
revolution and the movements of national liberation."
I~e recalled that more than 60 years ago, from the beginnings of its victory, the
Soviet revolution was at the side of ~,fghanistan in a11 areas. At that time -
Afghanistan was fighting against colonial domination. _
- He then spoke of the distortion which imperialist propaganda seeks to make of
t}-~at internationalist help: _
- "The imperialists want to present the help and cooperation we receive from the
Soviet Union as the opposite of what it real.ly is. After the victory of the
Great October Socialist Revolution, th~ fraternal Soviet people have always been
at the side of the Afghan people, they have always helped them. For everything
we now have in our country we can be grateful to the great help of the Soviet
Union in all areas. This multi�aceted help should be revealed just as it is so ~
as to unmask the distorti.ng and lying propaganda o� the imperialist mass news
media."
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Sultan 'A1i Keshtmand spoke of the power of that media and how that propaganda
acts i:o misguide world public opini:on. "They have pawer~ul means o� disinfar-
mation," he said~ repeating that it is not exactly news tliey provide hecause they
- distort the truth in f avor of the interescs of the great capitalist powers and
the forces of wor:Ld reaction.
He said that is the reason the worlc of infonnation performed by the progressive
counL-ries is very important. "That is a noble and very important task because
~ an a.ttempt to counteract the disinformation of th.e powerful capitalist propa-
ganda media is being made wilh fewer resources."
The Afghan leader asserted that despite the imperia].ist distortion about the
so-ca].led "Afghan problem," the truth will out because no "Afghan problem"
really exists. It has been created by imperialist propaganda to hide the true
criminal objectives which have led to the actions by reaction against
Afghanistan.
"The imperialists have created that climate around the 'Afghan problem' to hide
- their intervention and their aggressions against our country. The imperialist
~ circles have initiated a great campaign of lies as a pretext for continuing their
~ actior.s against tlie Af.ghan revolution and as a pretext for increasin~ their
military power, their preparations for war in the Persian Gulf, for obtaining
new funds for the armament race and for intensifying tensions throughout the
world..."
This accusation concluded our interview with the same firm conviction with which
the Af ghan leader had spoken, who with a broad smile repeated: "We are optimis-
_
tic and we are confident of total victory...
COPYRIGHT: BOHEMIA 1981
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ALGERIA
' MEETING II~HASIZES COOPERATION WITH ITALY ON ENERGY, OIL PROJECTS
Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 13 Feb 81 pp 360-361
[Text] Mr Belkacem Nabi, Algerian Minister of Energy and Petrochemical Industries,
made an official visit to Rome from 5 to 7 February at the invitation of the Italian
- Minister of Industry, Mr Filippo Maria Pandolfi. He was received by President Sandro
Pert ini as well as by Prime Minister Forlani, and held discussions with several mam-
_ ber s of the government such as Mr Columbo, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and
with the leaders of the ENI, the Italian National Office of Hydrocarbons.
According to APS reports, Mr Belkacem indicated at the close of these discussions
tha t they had allowed the two countries to treat pending problems and to restait,~
notably in the energy field, cooperation between Algeria. and Italy.
Mr Nabi specified that in regards to the energy damain and the completion of the
Alger ian-Italian gas pipeline through Tunisia, the operation transcended the com-
merc ial company-to-company framework to become an endeavor constituting an important
political act. This act is betting on the future and should be able to engage itself
into the framework of a new international economic order and a new equitable approach,
of which Algerian-Italian relations are an example, between industrialized and
developing nations.
= Mr Belkacem Nabi indicated, moreover, that these discussions emphasized the political
_ act ions that the two countries were supposed to put into effect to reinforce peace
in the Mediterranean area. In dealing with the problem of the price of natural gas
tha t Algeria was supposed to supply to Italy during 1981, the Minister declared that
negotiations between the two parties had allowed the ENI and SONATRACH experts to
- clear up the situation regarding a new formula for natural gas prices. During the
course of these negotiations which will stretch out into the near future, this
_ fo~ula will take into consideration the evolution of the international market con-
ditions and the parameters of the national economies of tha two countries.
In this regard, one remembers that the agreement between SONATRACH and ENI, arrived
at in October 1977, foresees the delivery of 12.4 million cubic feet of gas to Italy
for 25 years beginning in i985. This gas will be routed by the trans-Mediterranean
pipeline which has just been completed and which links Hassi R'Mel to Bologna through
Tunisia and Sicily. This pipeline covers 2500 l~ with an underwater section of `158
km; the Tunisian section covers 370 km. The pipeline will have cost $3400 million
with Algeria and Italy contributi.ng equally.
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The Algerian-Italian discussions at the end of last week wi11 have allowed the two
_ parCies to plan as well the ways and means of steering their cooperation towards
- other projects. Even now one remembera that in last October, the ENI and SONATRACH
signed an agreement for oil exploration in the eastern Grand Erg, and that Algeria
supplies Italy with a million tons of crude oil a year.
On tihe other hand, among the existing agreements or those 3.n the process of
= finalization, figures a contract of roughly $400 million for the construction of a
Pirelli tire factory, and a$500 million contract for the construction of an
- industrial vehicle plant and heavy industrial equipment by the Italian f irm Fiat,
_ whose President, Mr Giovanni Agnelli, was received in Algiers last December.
The extent and the importance of the discussions which have just taken place in
Rome, denote, as did President Pertini's visit to Algeria in May 1980, the willing-
ness of Algeria and Italy to make of their relations an example of sound cooperation
based upon the pursuit of a new equilibrium between industrialized and developing
nations.
COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981
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ALGERIA
BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH NETHERLANISS
Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERR.ANEENS in Frencti 13 Feb 81 pp 360-361
[TextJ Mr Christoph Van Der Klaauw, the I3utch Minister of Foreign Affairs, made an
o.fficial visit to Algeria from 1-3 February. He was received by President Chadli
Benjedid and held discussions with the Prime Minister, Mr Mohamed Abdelghani, as
well as with several government members, particularly wit11 his counterpart, Mr
- Mohamed Benyahia, to whose invitation he was responding. It was decided during
these discu ssions to prepare the framework of a technical and cultural cooperation
agreement f or future signing. Mr Van Der Klaauw also announced on the other hand,
that the Netherlands had decided to give to Algeria a new 5 million florin gzant,
earmarked f or the current reconstruction phase of E1-Asnam. Mr Van Der Klaauw's
visit is a prelude to the Near East itinerary that he must take in his capacity as
acting President of the European Community's Council of Minister for Foreign Affairs,
and during which he is supp osed to unveil a European peace initiative.
- While consid ~ring the evolution of bilateral relations during this visit, and after
having rem~mbered the difficulties that these bilateral relations have experienced
until 197 5 due to the Hague's pro-Zionist leaning, the national Algerian Press
Service envisages welcome opportunities due to a change of attitude which has since
been functioning in a climate rendered more favorable by the recent opening of the
Algerian em~assy in the I?utch capital.
- The APS notes that the constant progression of economic relations between the two
countries since 1975, without being defined by an explicit legal framework, attained
in 1979 the relatively mod est aggregate total of 1,268 million dinars. Algeria
essential ly sells oil products to the Netherlands. Its 3mports from the Netherlands
- are comprised of foodstuff s, materials, mineral products, fats, chemical products,
etc. In the field of energy, a policy of cooperation and ~oint action has been
established, particularly in relation to the problems of fixed gas prices and the
preservation of this natural resource. This is the atmosphere in which the Hague
- visit in February 1980 of Mr Belkacem Nabi, the Algerian Minister of ~nergy and
Petrochemicals, took place .
The APS concludes that, modest as they may be, Algerian- Dutch relations can expect
an exemplary development due on one hand to Algeria's willingness to diversify its
foreign relations, and on the other hand, the good disposition of the Dutch
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government in matters involving c~operation with developing nationa; dispositions
which even now constitute an essential platform of its foreign policy. Even now
nothing stands in opposition to more intense reiations between both countries on
the political and economic level. On the cultural, sc ientific, and technical level
- everything remains to be done, and the opportunities in these fields exist demand~.ng
only to be explotted.
- COPYRIGHT: Rene Moreux et Cie Paris 1981
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: ALGERIA
~
BRIEFS
~ SUPPO'LtT FOR POLISARIO--Algeria has just spectacularly reaffirmed its support of the
POLISARIO by its warm reception during a week-lcng official visit of a POLISARIO
delegation headed by its assistant general secretary, Mr Bachir Mustapha Sayed. At
- the invitation of the sole Algerian party, the FLN (National Liberation Front), the
_ POLISARIO has accomplished a long and compYicated ~ourney which has led it from one
- end of the country to the other, from Annaba in the east to Oran in the west and
through Ouargla in the south. The Saharan delegation ended its visit on 9 February
_ in Algiers, where it had been cordially received by the entire body of the national
- party members. Mr Mohamed Cherif Messadia, speaking for the permanent secretariat
of the FLN's central committee, repeated at this occasion "the firm support of a11
the Algerian people and his party, the FLN, for the Saharan people's struggle for
independence and its ].egitimate cause." He said to them, "we are proud of your
successes for they are our own, as are those of the Arab community, those of the
~ entire African continent, and all the forces in the world which are struggling for
their freedom and for progress." Onlookers note that Algeria's solemn reaffirmation
of support for the Saharan cause is taking pl~ce after several Algerian denials
conf'icting with foreign news items, according to which Algeria would have changed
its opinion regarding the Western Saharan conflict. It also takes place after the
fartuitous "shaking of hands" between King Hassan II of Morocco and the Algerian
President, Chadli Bendjedid, during the Islamic summit in Taef, and to which the
Algerians were prompt to make of it an expression of "simple courtesy." Algeria
notes that it was one of the first countries to have officially recognized the Arab
Republic of Democratic Sahara which, pending the namination of an ambassador, is �
represented in Algiers by a diplomatic envoy. [Text] [Paris MARCHES 'TROPICAUX ET
MEDITERRANEENS in French 13 Feb 81 p 360] 9745
NEW AIRPORT--Mr Mohamed Kortebi, the Minister of Public Works, visited Djanet and
In-Amenas at the end of a long j ourney that he conducted in the ~outhern governments
from 26 to 31 January. Immediately after his arrival in the Tassili capital, Mr
Kortebi proceeded to inspect the site of the city's future airport. The construction
of this airport, which will include a 3000 m ma.in runway and a 2400 m secondary run-
way, responds to the Djanet region's need to "open up." The former airport is no
longer capable of fulfilling Dja~let's needs. The Minister of Public Works super-
vised the building of the new airport in In-Amenas. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TRO~ICAUX .
, ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 13 Feb 81 p 360) 97~.5
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~
COOPERATION WITH CZECHOSLOVAKIA--At the invitation of his counterpart, Mr Mohamed
- Seddick Benyahia, the Czechoslovakian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Bohuslav
Chnoupek, headed a delegation that conducted an official visit to Algeria from 3
to 7 February. He was received by President Chadli Benjedid, to whom he transmitted
a message from President Gustav ftusak., During this visit, Mr Chnoupek was also
received by the Algerian Prime Minister, Mr Mohamed Benamed Abdelghani, and assisted _
in the signing of a legal agreement with the Minister of Justice, Mr Boualem Baki. .
- A common statement issued by the Algerian and Czechoslovakian delegations emphasized
that their discussions were in the spirit of friendship and mutual understanding"
- and dealt with bilateral cooperation and the international situation. The two
_ parties "reaffirm their willingness to pursue their efforts with the idea of
intensifying and increasing cooperation in all f ields," and in regards to econQmic,
~cientific, and technical cooperation, "are very pleased with the results of the
fifth session of the mixed committee and of the future opportunities which have ,
arisen to give it a new and continuing influezice." As to the international situation,
the two delegations expressed their support for the people of Nambia and Western
Sahara by giving homage to the role of the non-aligned movement and proclaiming a
"full and complete solidarity for national liberation movements in their legitimate _
~ struggle for the exercise by their people of the right to self-determination and _
' independence." They especially feel that "the ways and means of a~ust and durable `
solution to the Western Saharan problem were as clearly defined by the OAU and its
ad hoc committee as by the General Assembly of the United Na.tions, particularly -
resolution 35-19 of 11 November 1980. [Text] [Paris MARCEiES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERR.ANEENS
~ in French 13 Feb 81 p 361] 9745
THREE DOLLAR PER BARREL SURCHARGE itEMOVED--Japanese sources point out that Algeria -
has suppressed the $3 per barrel surcharge on the official price ~f its oil. How-
- ever, Algeria would sti11 not have notif ied Japanese businessmen of this reduction,
the current contracts having not yet expired. In Japanese industrial circles one
estimates that this decrease, which would be applied by other countr3es like Nigeria
and Kuwait--whereas Malaysia has already given notice of a reduction retroactive to
1 February, of .5 dollar on its surcharge of $1.50 per barrel--reflects a shrinking
demand. One emphasizes as well that it is the first time that the prices are being
revised downward since the Iranian revolution in February 1979. According to the
Japanese oil industries, of the 23.97 million barrels of oil produced by the OPEC -
nations each day last November, only 2.2 million barrels a day were affected by the
surcharges. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS in French 20 Feb 81 -
p ~?17] 9745
JAPAN CP TALKS tdITH FLN--Tokyo, Mar 5, JPS--Presidium Vice-Chairman Tomio
Nishizawa of the Japanese Communist Party had talks with Cheriet Lazhari, membPr
of the Central Committee of the National Liberation Front [FLN] of Algeria, in _
Algiers on March 3. JCP Vice-Chairman Nishizawa heard of social and economic
- developments in Algeria, and exchanged views on international issues. Both sides
stressed the importance of the principles described in the joint communique
between the lelegations of the JCP and FLN in 1967, and confirmed that soli-
darity between them will be developed on these principles. [TextJ [OW051107
Tokyo JPS in English 0916 GMT 5 Mar 81J -
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_ U.S. GAS DELIVF:RIES--The delivery of Algerian gas to the United States, interrupted
- for almost on.e year because of a price disagreement, could resume before long. This
was the prevailing impression among knowledgeable circles on the eve of the new
~ound of negotiations ~ahich were to take place in Algiers on 17 and 18 Febr.uary,
where for the first time the new Rea~an government was called upon to intervene in
the discussions begun in rray i98o. At the E1 Paso company headquartersy the prin-
- cipal American importer of Algerian gas, one estimated moreover that this next
round of discussions should be particularly "iniportant." Remember that the conflict
on the price of Algerian gas had been provoked by the decision of the Algerian ~
government to raise the pr ice from $1.75 to $6.11 a thousand squar~ feet. The
opposition to this increase, both on behalf of the U,S. Government and the E1 Paso �
company, had brought abou t the halt of the Algerian deliveries. The El Paso com-
- pany suffered losses estimated at several hundreds of millions of dollars due to
this fact, mainly because of the grounding of its gas tankers and the reduction of
its ground installations' activities. In economic circles, one estimates that
- even now an agreement cou ld be made on a price of around $S per 1000 square feet,
thus equalling what the Un ited States accept~ to pay for natural gas from Mexi~o
($.82) and Canada ($4.95). We emphasize, f inally, that the following factors work
especially in fav~r of the early conclusion of an agreement: the establishment of
better relations between the United States azd Algeria following Algeria's role in
the settlement of the hostage affair; Algeria's financial needs in its development
. plan and the prnspect of future decontrol of natural gas prices in the United
_ States. [Text) [Paris MARCIiES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANERNS in French 20 Feb 81 p
417] 9745
GAS PRICE TALKS WITH MEXI CO--On 15 February, Mr Jose Andres Oteya, the Mexican ~
Minister of Natural Resources dnd Industrial Development, arrived in Algeria for a '
_ 3-day oificial visit. His visit follows the one to Mexico in 1980 of Mr Belkacem
Nabi, the Algerian Minist er of Energy and Petrochemical Industries, with whom he -
was supposed to examine the means of developing technological cooperation between
the two countries in ener gy and industrial matters. In Algeria, it is thought that -
the Mexican minister was supposed to bring up the policy of Mexican and Algerian
natural gas exportations with Mr Belkacem. Both countries are important suppliers
of natural gas to the Un ited States. [Text] [Paris MARCHES TROPICAUX ET MEDITERRANEENS
- in French 20 Feb 81 p 417] 9745
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LEBANON
PRESIDENT SHAM'iJN DISCUSSES CURRENT ARAB EVENTS
Paris AL-~dATAr' Ai,-'ARARt in Arabic 30 Jan-S Feb 81 pp 32-33
[Interview with Camille Sham'un: "Camille Sham'un Tells AL-G~ATAN AL-'ARAAI,
_ 'i Expect Nothing from the I,ebanese-Syrian Summit'
~Text_~ Lebanon is to benefit the most from Iraq's
- victory.
_ I was the fi.rst one to su~gest the use of oil as a
weapon a~ainst the ~~'est. '
= The withdrawal oC the Syrians fram Lebanon has become
a national necessity..
rormer Lebanese president Camille Sham'un is over 80 years old. So far
he has spent half a century in politics amidst the opposition and the
government, in revoluti.ons and in wars. He may be one of the most
experienced Lebanese politicians in the affairs of the region. He is known -
- to have many friends and many enemies. }!e participates i.n many activities,
and he i.s one oE I.ehanon's decision malcers in peace as well as i.n war.
His friends an~ his supporters regard him as absolutely the most prominent
of the Lebanese politi.cians. }iis opponents are adamant i.n their opposition
to him, but they respect and Eear him. In all cases one cannot go by the
name of Camille Sham'un wirh4ut paying attention. One is either for him -
or against hir~. tn many cases one is with him and against him at the same
time.
AL-1?ATAN AL-'.~R~RI met with him to ask him about his position as president
of the Lebanese Front on his Phalanpist allies, on the matters of concern
Eor Lebanon a:~cl the region and on the changes that the world has seen in
the l~tter part of the seventies. The [following] interview ensued.
[:~uestion] Ever since the operation that has beEn called the 7 July
operation [ook place and Lebanese public opinion has been bewildered by
President Sham'un's position which seems to have sanctioned the Phalangist
conditions Eor cooperation. 'dhat ate the reas~ns that seem to prompt you =
to show such Sanction to which you have not been accustomed throughout
- your poli.tical liEe?
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{Answer] I denoiinced the 7 July incident, and I condemned the attack
on the li.ves of innocent people. Amon~ those innocent people were those
who happenPd to be t~assin~ throuQh, young men who are members of the
national liber'als, youn~; men who are members of the Lebanese Phalan~ists
ancl f.orei.p,n workers who unfortunately were in that spot at the time of
the incident. tn view of this massacre and i.ts direct and indirect
results, I had to take one of two positions: either avenge the victims,
- shed much bloo~i and firmly implant division within the same rank; or
exercise self-control in order to preserve the military and the political
- activists under the present circumstances. I took this road despite the
- pai.n it cost me and despite the control I had to exercise on my feelings
and on the wounded vigor of our younp, men. I was not to forget that I was
_ the president of the I~ehanese Front, which includes the Lebanese
Phalangists an~i the National Liberal parties; it now controls its
political and mi.litary wings. The front had done well in the recent events _
at 7.ahlah where the efforts of the various forces had converged to oppose
_ the ag~resston.
[(?uestion] Is the return of al-Damur residents to their town imminent?
(Answer] The return of the residents of al-Damur to their town is their
indisputable ri.ght. The Palestinians have to honor this ri~ht, and they
- have to give back the town to its le~al owners. This is what they should
do if we assume that the Palestinians have a wise policy that seeks to win -
them the sympathy of the Lebanese people in whose midst they are livin~
today. Before anythin~ else they need that sympathy. A policy that is
based on weapons is not a long-term policy. At any rate the people of _
� al-Damur will go back to their town, and so will all those who were forced -
- to leave their villa~es and their lands all over Lebanon.
Glhat Is Required of the Phalangists
[~uestion] Do yot~ believe that the exit of the Syrians from Lebanon will
- brinQ the Lebanese di.sputes to an end? Will the Phalangists' power in
the eastern re~i.on be eno~i~h as an alternative? What power in your esti- _
mate can equ;~l it in the western re~ion?
(Answer~ The exit of the Syrians from Lebanon will make the accord amon~
- the Lebanese easier. AEter the Syri.ans' departure there would be no point
in pursuing the policy of "divide and conquer" or the policy of collec-
ti.n~ clients and spheres of influence. Furthermore, the Lawful forces
will consequently undertake to preserve public security and saEety in
the various re~ions of Lebanon. tJntil this happens i hope that the work
_ of the Phalangist forces and of other organizations will be up to the
level of this mission. -
[Question] [dhat are your expec[ations for the Lebanese-Syrian summit
if it is held? -
[Answer~ I have no expectations of the Lebanese-Syrian summit if it is
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held. It is 8O1SS7VE' meeting like the other meetings ~~at preceded it. _
1~1~rcis and resolutions tha[ lack implementation. ~
[Question] Would you comment on the ef.forts of the Lebanese Fr.ont to =
internationalize the i,ebanese question?
[Answer~ The I.ebanese Front is justified in its efforts to bri.n~ the
fIN forces to preserve public safety in Lebanon. At any rate, the with-
drawal of the Sycian forces from Lebanon has become a national necessit y. _
~~ictory Is the Al1y of Iraq
[Question] F(ow ~io you view the [ension that i.s bein~ renewed on the
Syrian-Jordanian borders?
- [Answer] The tension that is being renewed every day between the Syri.a n -
and the Jordanian government is contrived. The only reason for it is tne
desire of Damascus to distract public opinion from the reality of condi-
tions i.n Syria.
- [Ouestion] The Iraq-Iran war continues. i~tence, wi~d~ever the scalc of Moroccan military means. I~uc tl.c fac;.or wnic't?
the Moroccans and Americans pretend to ignore is the Morocc~.an soldier himself.
Thousands of Moroccan soldiers and officers are in our hands; thousands more are
opposed to the war even if they do not e~ressly say so for fear of the repres-
sion constantly hanging over them. The results of the military operations are _
the best illustration of that. How can anybody imagine a big, trained conven-
tional ar~y having humiliating military setbacks inflicted on it by a"band of -
guerrillas"? If the Moroccan soldier had been motivated, he should have redis- -
covered the natural courage he had during his patriotic wars. For instance, in
1954, 1955 and 1956 the Moroccan resistance against colonialism was fierce. =
That produced great feats of arms and epics which nobody can forget. But in
the West Saharan war that courage has been worn away, owing to a lack of motiva- '
tion and faith in the justice of this war. "
[Question] Do you envisage a particular response to the U.S. decision?
- Mohamed Lamine: Our military policy is unchanging. We will fight in the sands
' of the Sahara as the Vietnamese fought on the plains and in the forests of their
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country. We will confront this supply of arms, which constitutes a danger to our
entire region, with a11 the means at our disposal. We have always opposed the
internationalization of the conflict, but it seems that the West's complication
of the Saharan problem will force us t~ resort to other support. Despite FrattC~'s
direct intervention in 1977 and the increased injection of various different types
of arms from that same country, we did not want to move in a given direction in
- order to safeguard our movement's independent nature and its individuality. But
if people persist in these provocative operations they must realize that we too
- have friends in the world. I mean this from the military viewpoint.
As regards the diplomatic and political spheres, I think that this opera~ion has
= a.lready been widely condemned. The ].east that can be done is to denounce it,
because it followed a reaiarkable development in the Saharan people's struggle--
the imposition of the SDAR on the international scene as an unavoidable reality
_ enjoying full sovereignty over more than 95 percent of the national territory.
- [Question] Can the French stance be said to have evolved in a positive way?
Mohamed Lamine: We can say that its stance has been frozen, but French arms are
still circulating behind the scenes.
[Question] What is the position in the field on the Moroccan strategy of the
"useful triangle"?
Mohamed Lamine: As you know, there have been numerous reorganizatior.s of the
Moroccan Army. From large concentrations of mobile troops it changed to light
- commando uni~ts and then to autonomous regiments named the Ouhoud and the Zelaka.
But after this total failure due, as I said before, to the Moroccan soldier's
lack of enthusiasm for the war, and after we liberated Mahbes, Amgalha, Tifariti,
Haouza, Jdiria and the whole southern part of our country aside from Dakhla and
~ invaded Moroccan posts and areas like Lebouirate, the Moroccans started to con-
struct a barrier identical to the not~rious Morice line in the Algerian war.
_ This dishonors the Moroccan Army and illu~~trates the false nature of Rabat's
, allegations against the Sahara. The Moroccan king, who was demanding the entire
Western Sahara, Mauritania and part of Algeria, is now strangely enough limiting
himself to a section of tlie Sahara less than 400 square km. However, our army is
well informed on this subject. The construction of this barrier requiLes control
over a line around 500 km long. I do not think the Moroccans will succeed even
with the U.S. Army's direct participation. So far they have only managed to
construct a line almost 'L1 km long, when they had envisaged celebrating the com-
pletion of the first 90 km in Smara on 6 November 1980.
That is why the Moroccan king said that 1980 would see the solution of the
Saharan conflict and a little later asked for an additional month (until January
1981).... That is reminiscent of 1975 and the scenario of the Moroccan "policing
operation" in the West Sahara. On the battlefield more than 27,000 Moroccan
- soldiers have been concentrated at t~as el-Khanfra since August 1980, where they
are suffering violent attacks from our fighters and are besieged to the extent
of being unable to reach the Saharan border. The more this operation develops,
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the stronger and more definite the resistance becomes. All this shows Morocco's
inabil3ty to win a victory in the field, however small, and the failure of the
strategy drawn up by its military elite.
(Question] What do you think of the persistent rumors about secret negotiations
on the Saharan question?
Mohamed Lamine: So far we have not conducted any unofficial or secret negotia- -
tions with the Moroc~ans. I think that the talk of secret negotiations between
other parties and Morocco and, to be more clear and direct, between Algeria and
Morocco is an attempt to disguise the additional military means placed at Rabat's _
disposal. This is a maneuver aimed at playing for time in order to distract
international opinion and particularly the Saharan people's friends. Algeria
has reaffirmed its position many times. But it seems that this campaign is
being coordinated from Morocco to tarnish Algeria's image in the world and
reduce the scope of Morocco's repeated defeats and its growing international
isolation.
[Question] What about the speculations on the evolution of your relations with
_ Algeria and Libya? -
Mohamed Lamine: We think that there is a new attempt aimed at preventing any _
rapprochement between Algeria and Libya--two countries which hav~ a common
militant past and which have great influence in the region. As far as we are
concerned, any rapprochement between A~geria and Libya is in the interests of =
the Saharan, Algerian and Libyan peoples; especially since in 1976 we called for
the creation of a strategic alliance between the three revolutions. As regards
our relations proper with these two countries, I can tell you that they are very
- strong, As long as those relations remain strong, what does it matter about
~ foreign rumors being spread outside our borders and outside Algeria and Libya!
COPYRIGHT: 1981 Afrique-Asie.
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WESTERN SAHARA
BRIEFS
JCP-POLJSARIO FRONT TALKS--Tokyo, 2 Mar (JPS)--Tomio Nishizawa, vice-chairman of
the Presidium of the Japanese Communist Party, on 27 February attended the cere-
mony to commemorate the Sth anniversary of founding Saharawi Arab Democratic
Republic, and on the next day talked with a deputy secretary of the Polisario
Front. In the talks Nishizawa thanked the front for the invitation, greeted
achievements won by the Saharawi people guided by the Polisario Front, and
expressed solidarity to the struggle of the front and people. The JCP vice-
chairman also handed the message of the party's Central Com~cittae to the Central
- Committee of the Polisario Front. [Text] [Tokyo JPS in English 0929 GMT
2 Mar 81 OW]
CSO: 4420 E~
,
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