MIDDLE EAST AFRICA SOUTH ASIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00865A001100280002-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 5, 2001
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: June 12, 1975
• Content Type: NOTES

Approved For Release 2001/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00865A00110028006F-p Secret
No Foreign Dirsem
gulf~~ X10
m
Middle East
Africa
South Asia
Handle via COMINT Channels
Top Secret
SC No, 04382/75
June 12, 1975
Approved For Release 2001/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00865A001100280002-9
 Approved For Release 2001/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO01100280002-9
No Foreign Dissem/No Dissem Abroad
Background Use Only/Controlled Dissem
Warning Notice
Sensitive Intelligence Sources and Methods Involved
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
Unauthorized Disclosure Subject to Criminal Sanctions
Classified by 005827
Exempt from general declassification schedule
of E. 0. 11652, exemption category:
? 5B (1), (2), and (3)
Automatically declassified
on: Date Impossible to Determine
Approved For Release 2001/08/08 CIA-RDP76TO0865A
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TOP
This publication is prepared for regional specialists in the Washington com-
munity by the Middle East - Africa Division, Office of Current Intelligence,
with occasional contributions from other offices within the Directorate of
Intelligence. Comments and queries are welcome. They should be directed to
the authors of the individual articles.
CONTENTS
Morocco-Spain: Rabat Concerned About Spanish
Reaction to Sahara Incidents . . . . . . . . . 1
North Yemen: Hamdi Regime One Year After . . . 2
June 12, 1975
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MIDDLE EAST - AFRICA - SOUTH ASIA
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Morocco-Spain
Rabat Concerned About Spanish Reaction
to Sahara Incidents
Moroccan Foreign Minister Laraki made three
demarches to the Spanish ambassador this week urging
Madrid not to overreact to two recent incursions
into Spanish Sahara by Moroccan army units. Laraki
stressed that the incursions were not directed
against Spain.
Morocco may have been trying to establish a
presence in the area as a signal to Algeria and the
pro-independence Saharan party it supports that
Morocco is prepared to occupy the disputed territory
whenever Madrid withdraws. If the Spanish do begin
a pullback at a later date, these incursions may
well be a preview of things to come.
The incidents were the first overt intrusions
by regular Moroccan forces. In the first incursion,
on June 8, 46 Moroccan army personnel surrendered
without resistance to Spanish forces that had en-
circled them. They apparently were under orders
not to engage Spanish troops in a fire fight. On
June 10, Moroccan forces that approached a Spanish
military post in the northwestern corner of the ter-
ritory withdrew quickly when they found the post
defended.
Rabat apparently mistakenly believed the two
remote outposts had been abandoned by Spanish troops.
It is now seeking Madrid's cooperation in arranging
the return of Moroccan prisoners. It also does not
want to close the door to negotiations with Madrid.
So far, Madrid has reacted calmly to the Moroccan
incursions. It is continuing its efforts to arrange
four-party negotiations with Morocco, Mauritania, and
Algeria to discuss the future of Spanish Sahara.
(CONFIDENTIAL)
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North Yemen
Hamdi Regime One Year After
Colonel Ibrahim Hamdi, head of the ruling Command
Council, appears to be in full control as North Yemen
marks--on June 13--the first anniversary of his take-
over.
Hamdi, who has neutralized both leftist and con-
servative opponents in recent months, is expected to
solidify his position in the near future by increasing
the size of the Command Council--nominally the highest
authority in the country--with his supporters. Hamdi
may also drop from the cabinet Minister of Interior
Lt. Colonel Yahya al-Mutawakkil, his only significant
remaining opponent. Al-Mutawakkil, who is also a
member of the council, has been associated with the
ambitious Abu-Luhum family and other anti-Hamdi
groups. These changes, as well as some reform measures,
may be announced by Hamdi in a major speech scheduled
for June 13.
Hamdi's efforts to curtail the power of the tribal
sheikhs and modernize North Yemen's political system
was given a boost recently with the passage of a new
election law for the Consultative Assembly. Unlike
the old law, which established a complicated and in-
direct process of selection that favored tribal leaders,
the new procedure provides for the direct election of
128 deputies from fixed constituencies. The old provi-
sion for the appointment by the president of up to
.14 deputies was dropped. Elections are not expected
to be held for a number of months, however. This
'will presumably give Hamdi more time to expand the
(/central government's control over the hinterland.
Hamdi may attempt to mobilize the wide popularity
he seems to be enjoying throughout the country in an
effort to strengthen his political position even
further. According to one report, Hamdi intends to
emulate a gambit employed by the late President Nasir
and offer his resignation on June 13. The offer would
be expected to trigger mass demonstrations of support
for Hamdi, following which he would quickly agree to
retract his resignation.
June 12, 1975
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The US embassy in Sana expects Hamdi to extend
the present transitional period in North Yemen's
political life until the elections. The embassy
believes the prospects for stability for the short
and medium term look very good. (SECRET NO FOREIGN
DISSEM)
June 12, 1975 3
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