TALKING POINTS FOR THE DCI

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84B00049R001403370015-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Sequence Number: 15
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/06/27: CIA-RDP84B00049ROO1403370015-3
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15 June 1982
STATUS OF THE NAMIBIAN NEGOTIATIONS
After gaining rapid agreement from South African and the Frontline
States/SWAPO on principles for a Namibian constitution, the negotiations have
been stalled since about January over the issue of how a constitutional
assembly would be elected.
-- South Africa agreed to the Contact Group's combined system of
proportional repesentation and single-member constituencies.
-- The Frontline States/SWAPO rejected this electoral system, holding out
for either proportional representation or single-member constituencies.
-- SWAPO feared the combined system would deny them the required two-third
majority to ratify the constitution.
In meetings with US officials in May, however, South Africa demonstrated
surprising flexibility on a number of contentious negotiaton issues and
proposed a stepped up timetable for a settlement, which called for a ceasefire
in August and elections in March 1983.
-- South Africa also agreed to abandon the combined electoral system, but
asked to defer selecting alternative electoral procedures until later
in the negotiations.
The Contact Group has subsequently held talks with SWAPO and the
Frontline States to inform them of the South African proposals.
-- SWAPO continues to insist on chosing an electoral system now and
resists monitoring of its bases in Angola and Zambia.
-- The Frontline leaders appear encouraged by the South African
flexibility.
-- We will have a better idea of their attitude when we get the results of
their meeting in Dar es Salaam yesterday (14 June).
Despite the signs of progress in the negotiations, several key issues
remain unresolved:
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-- South Africa insists on a total withdrawal of Cuban combat troops from
Angola, something the weak Angolan government will be hard pressed to
obtain. Pretoria, however, may ultimately settle for less than total
withdrawal and a cosmetic formula that would allow it to claim progress
on the issue.
-- The question of the Angolan government reconciliation with UNITA has
yet to be resolved.
If the Cuban combat troops are not withdrawn from Angola, Pretoria
threatens to pursue a unilateral settlement that would exclude SWAPO but not
end the insurgency.
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Approved For Release 2007/06/27: CIA-RDP84B00049ROO1403370015-3