NAMIBIA/ANGOLA: THE MPLA REPLY TO THE LATEST US INITIATIVE SIDESTEPS SUBSTANCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89T01156R000100050021-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 20, 2011
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: May 17, 1985
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/21: CIA-RDP89TO1156ROO0100050021-5
The Director of Central Intelligence
Washington, D.C. 20505
CINIc
Jw.*.
National Intelligence Council NIC #02557-85
17 May 1985
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
FROM: Frederick L. Wettering
National Intelligence Officer for Africa
SUBJECT: Namibia/Angola: The MPLA Reply to the Latest
US Initiative Sidesteps Substance
1. As we foresaw, the Angolan MPLA reply to our latest
initiative--the somewhat controversial "nonpaper" on Cuban troop
withdrawal from Angola--did not contain any substantive reply to the
Cuban troop withdrawal issue.
2. Assistant Secretary of State Chet Crocker briefed me on 17 May.
According to Chet, the MPLA reply was primarily a complaint about recent
South African actions, including the formation of an internal party
government in Namibia and the unilateral South African withdrawal from
Angola, which the MPLA claimed represented indicators of bad faith by the
South Africans. On the other hand, the MPLA noted their earlier offer on
Cuban troop withdrawal as "proof" of their good faith. The MPLA reply
concluded that until these issues were clarified further progress on the
Cuban matter was "not possible at this time." The MPLA did invite
another meeting with a State Department official to amplify its concerns
and hear our interpretation of events. The MPLA also inquired obliquely
as to how we were going to deal with the forthcoming UN Security Council
debate (probably in June) on South Africa-Namibia.
3. Chet added that State just briefly had replied in turn to the
MPLA agreeing to another meeting but disagreeing that South African
actions were germane to the issue or represented impediments to a
settlement.
EGRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/21: CIA-RDP89TO1156ROO0100050021-5
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/21: CIA-RDP89TO1156R000100050021-5
SECRET
4. Chet opined that he suspected the MPLA was undergoing another
power struggle within the Politburo and also planned a big offensive
against UNITA and this might have precluded a substantive response. We
have no evidence as yet of an MPLA power struggle but such is always
possible. The real reason is, of course, that the MPLA has no intention
of meeting our terms on the Cuban issue in my opinion.
Fred ick L. Wettering
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/21: CIA-RDP89TO1156R000100050021-5
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/21: CIA-RDP89T01156R000100050021-5
SECRET
SUBJECT: Namibia/Angola: The MPLA Reply to the Latest US
Initiative Sidesteps Substance
NIO/AF/FLWettering:
DISTRIBUTION:
Orig - DCI
1 - DDCI
1 - ER
Vl - C/NIC
1 - VC/NIC
1 - C/ALA/AF
2 - NIO/AF
3
SECRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/11/21: CIA-RDP89T01156R000100050021-5