COMMENTS OF GENERAL ALMENDRA, DEPUTY COMMANDER OF PORTUGUESE MILITARY FORCES IN ANGOLA ON DEVELOPMENTS THERE AND ON RELATED PORTUGUESE PLANS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: December 2, 2010
• Sequence Number: 17
• Publication Date: October 20, 1975
• Content Type: REPORT

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
or~c~ og ~ $~ARY
October 29, 1975
Sir:
There is mother issue not addressed in this memo --
avoiding a syn~bvlic transfer of power to the MPLA in Luanda
an Nov~nber ll:. Antunes has said the Portuguese will not
.turn over the .~overnrn.ent to any one of the three movements.
My concern is symbolism; the symbolism of the MPLA's
control of Luanci.a, the capital, compounded by a symbolic
ceremony v~heh transfers power from the Pc~tuguese to the
MPLA. Pictu'~res of a Portuguese governor general handing the
flag or the sward or whatever to the MPLA representative
would be distinctly unhelpful to our objectives in Angola.
We might consider urging the Portuguese to leave with an
absolute minimum of (or .even better without any) .ceremony
at all. This may be more than their Latin temperaments can
bear but it may be worth an effort.
Another alternative, considered by the OAU, would be for
the party to turn the"u~~truments of power" over to aJ.l three
movements in three different cities.
X have asked that AP' address this question in another memo
to you.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/12/02 : LOC-HAK-102-5-17-4