STRATEGIC AND POLITICAL INTERESTS IN THE WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00875R002000150003-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 18
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 23, 2006
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: April 11, 1967
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part -Sanitized 1
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/16: CIA-RDP85T00875R002000150003-6
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Secret
0 N
SPECIAL
MEMORANDUM
BOARD OF
NATIONAL ESTIMATES
Strategic and Political Interests in the
Western Indian Ocean
Secret
No. 3-67
11 April 1967
LIBRARY FILE COPY
DO NOT DESTROY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/16: CIA-RDP85T00875R002000150003-6
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
11 April 1967
SPECIAL MIMORAIVDUM NO. 3-67
SUBJECT: Strategic and Political Interests in the Western
Indian Ocean I.f
1. The islands of the western Indian Ocean,/ though
well removed from the main arenas of contention amo:ag the
great powers, are gradually assuming some importance for
the US. In part this is because space tracking and monitoring
installations there are important to the forthcoming Apollo
program. In addition, the islands offer possible substitute
i/ This memorandum was produced solely by CIA. It was pre-
pared by the Office of National Estimates and coordinated
with the Office of Current Intelligence and the Office
of Research and Reports in the Directorate of Intelligence.
J See map attached.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/16: CIA-RDP85T00875R002000150003-6
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sites for US installations in Africa whose tenure is increasingly
uncertain. There are also strategic considerations which may
lead to construction of new US military or logistic bases on
UK-owned islands.
2. Generally speaking, the area is fast becoming something
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of a power vacuum.
The French, too, maintain a military presence, though their
interests are limited. As yet, the Communists have only a
few discernible interests in the area, but these may develop
in the next few years.
3. Whatever role the US adopts in the Indian Ocean, it
will have to cope with the interests of other powers, the
sensitivities of the African and Asian states on the periphery
of the ocean toward "foreign bases" and the emerging nationalism
in the islands, complicated by serious domestic problems.
B. Major Power Interests in the Area
4. The U3. By far the most important US installations
in the area at the moment are NASA and USAF facilities in the
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Malagasy Republic in support of the space progrems~ Madagascar
is useful in connection with space launches from CPS,,;je Kennedy
and Vandenberg Air Force Base. The recently re-equipped
NASA satellite tracking station near Tananarive irr, the largest
such facility outside of the US. There is also 1: der con-
struction at this site a USAF tracking station c c -:staining
C-band radar apparatus, similar to one now in oferabion in
South Africa. During the forthcoming Apollo ltz?.iar landing
program the TTSAF intends to use airfields on b9