ADMINISTRATION FIGHTING BILL TO BLOCK COVERT SAVIMBI AID

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000302490025-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 26, 2010
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: April 22, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2010/07/26 :CIA-RDP90-005528000302490025-8
WASHINGTON TIt~tES
22 April 1986
Administration fighting bill
to block covert Savimbi aid
By Thomas D. Brandt
Two key aspects of Reagan admin-
istration policy toward the Marxist
government of Angola -trade and
covert aid -today go before House
committees where there are am-
biguous signals.
The administration is opposing
the Hamilton bill to block covert aid
to the anti-communist resistance
fighters of Angola, while supporting
continued Export-Import Bank deal-
ings with the Angolan government.
H aft
Rev. e H 'ton- Indiana Repub-
lican an~ chairm lli-
gence ommittee is to be voted on
e oretgn airs subcommit-
tee on rica today It is teniativel
scheduled to come u before the full
committee on a es av
"We're on a fast track;' a staff of-
ficial said yesterday about the un-
usually short time between commit-
tees. Opponents of the measure
concede that it is likely to pass the
Democratic-controlled subcommit-
tee and full committee.
The Reagan administration is re-
ported to be provttiing $15 million in
covert aid to Angolan rebels led by
Jonas Savimbi. Mr. Savimbi was in
Washington in February for meet-
ingswith President Reagan, who en-
dorsed his movement, and congres-
sional leaders.
Mr Hamilton opposes the covert
aid program, which he said is inter-
vening onone side of a civil war. His
committee sent the bill to the For-
eignAffairs Committee by a straight
party-line vote of 10-to-6 in March.
Last year, the House voted 236-185
to repeal the 1976 Clark
Amendment, which had prohibited
covert aid to Angolan forces.
Mr. Hamilton has said passage of
his bill would be difficult, but that it
raised "an important procedural
question -should the Congress of
the United States participate in ma-
jor foreign policy decisions?"
The Hamilton measure, called
"Baby Clark" by one source, re-
quires aid to Angola to be open and
approved by both houses of Con-
gress. Supporters of the Hamilton
bill hope that casting the issue affir-
matively will shift some of last
year's votes.
The trade measure is in the House
Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs
Committee, where conservatives
are at odds with the State Depart-
ment over trade policy.
Rep. Bill McCollum, Florida Re-
publican, succeeded in adding an
amendment in subcommittee to the
Export-Import Bank reauthor-
ization bill that bars any bank activ-
ity with Angola until :dir. Reagan cer-
tifies that all Cuban troops have left
the country.
The State Department opposed
Mr. McCollum's move and wrote to
the full committee chairman, Rep.
Fernand St Germain, asking him to
kill the amendment in full commit-
tee today when the reauthorization
measure is considered.
Cuba is reported to have about
45,000 troops and advisers in An-
gola. Their duties include guarding
oil fields, which are operated jointly
by the government and the Chevron
Corporation. Angola, besides facing
blr. Savimbi's rebel forces of 20,000
to 25,000, also is engaged in border
fighting with South African forces.
"I am told the administration in
the last few months has changed its
position on Angola and now favors
support for Jonas Savimbi's ...
forces, ~butJ on the other hand I see
an official State Department posi-
tion letter opposing a legislative ef-
fort to put Congress on record op-
posing the Cuban troop presence in
Angola;' ~Ir McCollum said in a let-
ter to Secretary of State George
Shultz nn April 16.
State Department official James
Dyer said in the letter to ~Ir. St Ger-
main that, while the department op-
poses dlr. ~icCollum's amendment,
no major Export-Import Bank
projects have been approved for A~-
gola since 1984.
Approved For Release 2010/07/26 :CIA-RDP90-005528000302490025-8