HOUSE BILL WOULD BLOCK COVERT AID TO UNITA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000302490028-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 26, 2010
• Sequence Number: 28
• Publication Date: February 28, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/26 :CIA-RDP90-005528000302490028-5
F~~~l"~
WASHINGTON POST
28 February 1986
House Bill Would Block
Covert Aid to UNITA
Measure Could Spark Test of ill on Angola
Eight Democratic members of
the Dose ermanent lect om-
Ares has occasionally stopped such
activity by special legislation.
The Hamilton bill follows
Savimbi's 10-day, high-profile visit
to Washington earlier this month
during which President Reagan and
Secretary of State George P. Shultt
said that the administration is com-
mitted to giving Savimbi "effective"
military aid. Savimbi has said he
needs U.S. military aid immediately
to stave off an expected Cuban-
backed offensive in April or May.
U S aid to Savimbi through the
Central Intelligence Agency was
cut off 10 years ago by the Clark
Amendment. The amendment was
repealed in July, clearing the way
for congressional conservatives to
press for renewal of assistance to
Savimbi's National Union for the
Total Liberation of Angola. UNITA.
The Hamilton bill could force the
first test of congressional will on
Marxist-ruled Angola. Over the
past several months, efforts by
House members to either support
or block aid to Sav~mbi have gath-
ered alittle more than 100 signa-
tures each, leaving more than 200
members undecided.
The le islation will be referred to
the Dose Intel igence panel. which
is plannin a~heanng March
13 and a drafting session March 18.
[f passed by both the House and
Senate, which remains uncertain,
the legislation would also allow Con-
gress to keep control of the flow of
aid to Savimbi, now set at an initial
$10 million to $1 S million.
mr ee on me rgence introduced
administration's Ian to ive covert
mr Mary aid to Ange~__~^ *p~~ ~P'~pr
Dogs ~ bi.
The bill, authored by Reu. Lee H?
Hamilton 4~d.2..s~~~~-
ma..~ allow and to Savrmbi
"only rf the provision of that support
is the openly acknowledged policy
of the United States" and is ap-
proved by a joint resolution of Con-
gress.
The Democratic challen a to
U.S. covert involvement in nso ,
a rpp Dyed b the resident in No-
vember, coincides wit w at is ex-
pected to be_ a strong mocratic-
led drive to block the a mrnrstra-
tion's request for S70 million for a
much larger covert operation to aid
anticommunist forces in NlCaragua.
The Hamilton bill says that the
United States "should not provide
any such support until the president
has publicly informed the Congress
and the American people that Unit-
ed States government support for
military or paramilitary operations
in Angola is important to the nation-
'. al security and the Congress has
approved such support."
Congressional approval of covert
~rationa is not required, but Corr
REP. LEE H. HAMILTON
...aid must be approved or+ Hill
JONA9 9AVIMBI
...Reggae vowed "eltectivs" aid
A State Department spokesman
said yesterday that the bill has not
been studied, but he added that the
administration has expressed its
strong opposition to congressional
contraints on the president's ability
to conduct foreign policy.
STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/26 :CIA-RDP90-005528000302490028-5