ACCESSION NUMBER:00000
FILE ID:95081503.POL
DATE:08/15/95
TITLE:STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, TUESDAY, AUGUST 15
TEXT:
(African coup, Iran/South Africa, Fred Cuny) (680)
NEWS BRIEFING -- Deputy spokesman David Johnson discussed the
following topics:
MILITARY COUP IN SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE CONCERNS U.S.
The United States is calling on Sao Tome and Principe's military
forces to immediately return the country's democratically-elected
government to power, the deputy spokesman said.
"We're deeply concerned by today's events in Sao Tome in which
military forces have apparently overthrown the democratically-elected
government of President Miguel Trovoada," Johnson said. Sao Tome and
Principe is a tiny nation formed by two islands off the west coast of
Africa. It has a population of fewer than 125,000 and a land area of
less than 1,000 square kilometers.
"Since constitutional reform in 1990, and the first multi-party
democratic elections in 1991, Sao Tome and Principe has been a model
emerging democracy," the deputy spokesman pointed out.
"While there have been disagreements and political conflicts between
the branches of government and the National Assembly, these debates
have until now been carried out and resolved in open, democratic and
legal fora in accordance with the provisions of Sao Tomean law," he
said. "We urge the military not to abandon this fine tradition.
"We call on the military forces to immediately return power to Sao
Tome's democratically-elected government," Johnson said. "We note that
President Trovoada, his family, and members of his cabinet are being
held. We further call for their safe and humane treatment in
accordance with internationally recognized human rights standards," he
said.
If the military coup stands, the deputy spokesman noted, the United
States would be required by law to suspend assistance to Sao Tome and
Principe.
In the 1994 fiscal year, the United States provided Sao Tome and
Principe over $1 million in assistance, including food aid, economic
support funds, and bilateral assistance through the Development Fund
for Africa, he said. The country is receiving $300,000 in democracy
and human rights funds in fiscal year 1995.
The United States also maintains a Peace Corps mission of
approximately 20 volunteers there. Johnson said all Peace Corps
personnel are accounted for and they have been advised to stay in
their homes.
U.S. DISAPPOINTED BY IRAN-SOUTH AFRICA AGREEMENT
The deputy spokesman expressed U.S. disappointment over an agreement
concluded between Iran and South Africa under which Iranian oil
exports will be stored in South African facilities.
"We're certainly disappointed that the South Africans saw fit to go
forward with that contract," Johnson said. "We made clear when we took
steps to remove American companies from economic participation with
Iran that we did not believe it appropriate to support the economy of
a state dedicated to acquiring nuclear weapons and to undermining the
(Middle East) peace process.
"We will continue to work with the South Africans and other friends to
try to convince them of our point of view," he said.
ALLEGATIONS ABOUT FRED CUNY TERMED UTTERLY GROUNDLESS
The deputy spokesman rejected as "utterly groundless" allegations that
missing American relief expert Fred Cuny may be working as an
intelligence officer for the leader of the breakaway Chechen republic.
He was responding to questions about a Russian Interfax report that
Cuny is alive and working as an intelligence officer and adviser to
Dzhokhar Dudayev, the rebel Chechen leader.
"We do hope that Fred Cuny is alive, but we have no concrete evidence
indicating whether he is alive or dead," Johnson said. "We have many
unsubstantiated reports about his whereabouts, but we've found no one
who has been in a position to confirm any of them."
"Allegations that he is employed by Dudayev as an intelligence officer
and adviser are utterly groundless," the deputy spokesman declared.
An employee of the Soros Foundation, Cuny disappeared in April along
with four Russians who also worked for Soros while they were
attempting to set up a hospital in Chechnya and provide other
humanitarian services to refugees from the bitter war between the
breakaway republic and Russian forces.
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