MONTHLY REPORT--ABIDJAN BUREAU--OCTOBER 1981

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00385R000200010005-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 8, 2007
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: November 4, 1981
• Content Type: MEMO

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4 November 1981
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, FBIS
THROUGH Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT Monthly Report--Abidjan Bureau--October 1981
FBIS Directorl visited Abidjan from 28-31 October. This25X1
was John's first visit to Abidjan, and he took the occasion to see as much
of the city as possible, to get a feel for the culture and climate in which
the bureau operates. On the 29th he paid an official call on Charge d'Affairs
Friedman, who is an old acquaintance of John's. They discussed FBIS's role
in Abidjan, particularly the service we provide the Ivorian Foreign Ministry.
Ambassador Rawls returned from consultations in Washington on the 30th, and
attended a dinner given that night by the Bureau Chief in John's honor.
Also on the 30th Bureau Engineer and his wife escorted John 2X1
a tour of Abidjan, including the Treichville marche, a vast free enterprise
market area that is an eye-opener for visitors who want to see something
more "African" than the skyscrapers and freeways of downtown Abidjan. John
also met with all of the bureau em to ees and their families at a cocktail
party given by Deputy Cheif I I and addressed the bureau employeee5X1
at a staff meeting on the 29th. U
Monitorial/Editorial
1. The health of Ivory Coast's 76-year-old president, Felix Houphouet-
Boigny, was the subject of considerable speculation in Abidjan during
October, and the behavior of the state-controlled radio appeared to play
a part. It had long been known that the president would attend the Cancun
North-South summit as one of Africa's two principle spokesman. However,
on the 19th Ouagadougou Radio, citing "official sources in Mexico," re-
ported that Houphouet-Boigny was not going to the meeting, with no reason
given. The tightly controlled Ivorian media were notable in their silence
concerning this development. Not until the 23rd did Abidjan Radio tacitly
acknowledge the president's absence by reporting that Foreign Minister Ake,
"on behalf of the president," had explained the Ivorian position in Cancun.
Rumors swept the city concerning the president=s health, and a meeting of
Houphouet-Boigny's political party was announced for the 27th. AFP dampened
some of the speculation by reporting that the president, who had not made
the trip to Cancun for "health reasons", was doing better, and subsequently
reported that he spoke for two hours at the political meeting after recover-
ing from a cold which had sidelined him for three weeks. The local news-
paper FRATERNITE MATIN finally reported on the 29th that Houphouet-Boigny
had been in bed with malaria and fatigue. (U)
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2. A delegation of the five-nation Western Contact Group on
Namibia, led by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
Chester Crocker, began a well-publicized trip around Africa late in the
month. At the delegation's first stop in Lagos, Nigerian President Shagari,
according to Lagos International Service, stressed the importance of
independence for Namibia as a crucial factor for peace on the continent
and asked delegation members not to relent in the search for a negotiated
solution. Even before the delegation arrived in Luanda on the 27th,
Angolan media had given attention to the visit. Abidjan bureau monitored
a report from ANGOP, the Angolan News Agency, saying that the Angolan
Government was not aware of what modifications to the UN plan the dele-
gation was bringing and a commentary chastizing U.S. plicy on the issue.
Luanda Radio on the 27th reported an offer of a cease-fire by SWAPO leader
Sam Nujoma if UN Resolution 435 were installed, and AFP provided details
of the negotiations from its own correspondents. (U)
3. Moroccan charges that Polisaro Front used SAM missiles to
attack Moroccan positions in Guelta Zammur, Western Sahara, from "neigh-
boring territories" produced a brief war of words between the two erstwhile
allies. Abidjan Bureau monitored the first rebuttal from Nouakchott Radio
on the 15th, a statement of the Permanent Committee of the Military Committee
of National Salvation denying that Polisario soldiers were on Mauritanian
territory or that the country was in any way involved in the attack. On
the 20th, Mauritanian President Haydala issued a statement rebutting King
Hassan's charges that the attack had been launched from the Mauritanian
village of El-Aidiet by informing the king the village in question was
located in Saharan territory and inviting him to consult a map. He also
pledged to defend the country against any Moroccan intervention. On the
21st, Haydalah sent a message to the UN and OAU, carried by Nouakchott
Radio, offering to accept observers on the border to verify that the
Polisario was not using the country's territory. A flurry of propaganda
statements, messages and comments then ensued. (U)
A. Personnel
1. Bureau teletypisti gave birth to a boy on 25X1
9 October. I Iwill be on maternity leave until sometime in 25X1
January. (U
2. Monitor
1 November. (U)
was promoted to FSN 3/1 effective 25X1
3. Monitors I Ireceived 25X1
PSI's, to FSN 3/2, on 14 and 18 October respectively. (U)
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The bureau underwent its first audit on 2 and 3 November. The
auditor, was satisfied that the bureau's financial and 25X1
logistica controls are in accordance with appropriate accounting and
reporting requirements. (C)
Attachments
1. Engineering Report
2. Monthly Production Report
CONFIDENTIAL
Chief, Abidjan Bureau
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ENGINEERING REPORT-OCTOBER 1981
During the month, various building problems occured which required
contacting the landlord and contractors.
The kitchen floor tiles came up because the concrete below began
to crumble. We were without normal bureau lighting for three days due to
shorted circuits in the building wiring. Both problems were eventually
taken care of; however, the repairs of several air conditioners are still
incomplete and very slow.
The auditor completed his inspection of petty cash and FBIS property
records and seemed generally satisfied with our records.
Bureau Engineer
cc: 25X1
London Bureau
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