AID TO ANGOLA REBELS REPORTEDLY EYED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000100420011-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 21, 2011
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: January 23, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2011/12/21 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000100420011-6
ARTICLE APPI-ED
ON PAGE d9mal-
BOSTON GLOBE
23 January 1986
Aid
to Angola rebels
reportedly eyed
By William Beecher
Globe Staff
WASHINGTON - The Reagan administra-
tion is trying to chart a course to aid the rebels
fighting the Marxist government of Angola
while, at the same time, getting Angola to oust
Cuban troops as part of a negotiated settle-
ment with South Africa, officials said yester-
day.
Since the Angolan government would be
unlikely to want the United States to continue
as broker in a negotiation with South Africa if
it is it is openly supporting Angola's warring oppo-
sition. o cials said the administration is lean-
ing to covert aid, rather than overt assistance.
They said the threat of military assistance
to the UNITA guerrillas led by Jonas Savimbi
might. in fact, serve as potent leverage to pres-
sure Angola to make important concessions in
the now nearly stalled negotiations.
Officials said the hope is that negotiations
between Angola and South Africa can bear
fruit in coming weeks or months, making it
unnecessary to provide direct aid to UNITA.
Assistant Secretary of State Chester Crock-
er recently returned from extensive discus-
sions with Angolan and South African leaders,
and while their differences haven't been nar-
rowed very much, State Department sources
disclosed that both sides urged that the United
States continue its efforts.
At the White House on Tuesday. Larry
Speakes, the White House spokesman, sug-
gested that President Reagan had decided to
seek assistance for UNITA.
But at the State Department yesterday, a
spokesman. Bernard Kalb. shied away from
confirming that a firm aid decision has been
made. ' UNITA is a legitimate nationalist orga-
nization and as Secretary (of State Geoige P.)
Shultz has said, we support its struggle
against Soviet- ban adverturism In Angola."
Kalb said.
Washington visit planned
"We are working towards ways to demon-
strate that support in a manner that would be
effective."
Other officials explained that the adminis-
tration would have to consult with Congress.
which has been chary about covert activities,
to determine if it would nonetheless vote covert
assistance to Savimbi's forces. Officials
wouldn't discuss the scope of such assistance.
Savimbi will be in Washington next week
on a private visit, and administration officials
say he might be received by both Reagan and
Shultz.
The difficult policy assessment occurs be-
cause most analysts feel neither UNITA guer-
rillas. backed by South Africa, nor Angolan
government forces, backed by about 35,000
Cuban troops and up to 7,000 Soviet military
advisers, can defeat the other in battle.
Last year, the Soviets and Cubans aug-
mented their military presence and supported
a major Angolan drive against UNITA, which
fell short of its objectives. Cuban pilots flew
combat support missions. Intelligence 092%
say preparations appear to be under way for
another major offensive, possibly In two
tree mo
US seeking deal
For several years the administration has
been seeking a deal whereby Angola would
agree to ask Cuba to pull out Its troops, and in
return, South Africa would agree to stop help-
ing UNITA and would pull its forces out of
neighboring Namibia and permit UN-moni-
tored elections and independence there.
The Angolans. it is understood, have said
they would be prepared to have all but 5,000 to
8,000 Cubans leave over a period of two to
three years, the bulk coming out toward the
end of that period. They want a residual Cu-
ban force to remain to protect the oil produc-
ing province of Cabinda.
The South Africans. who under UN resolu-
tion 435 would have to pull all their troops out
of Namibia in about three months. 'want all
Cuban troops to leave Angola within no more
than a year. most of them early in the process.
US officials are trying to appeal to those ele-
ments in the Angolan government who would
like to see, instead of an escalting civil war
and a potential US-Soviet confrontation, for-
mal diplomatic relations with the United
States, along with more Western aid and in-
vestment. And that would require not only a
negotiated settlement with South Africa but
presumably also an offer to bring Savimbi,
who leads the most numerous tribe in Angola.
into a coalition government.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2011/12/21 : CIA-RDP90-00965R000100420011-6