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DATE=4/15/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248142
TITLE=ANGOLA/ZAMBIA (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=JOHANNESBURG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  ZAMBIA'S PRESIDENT SAYS HIS COUNTRY AND NEIGHBORING 
ANGOLA HAVE AGREED TO HOLD TALKS TO REDUCE TENSIONS OVER ANGOLAN 
CHARGES THAT ZAMBIA IS AIDING THE "UNITA" REBEL GROUP.  V-O-A 
SOUTHERN AFRICA CORRESPONDENT ALEX BELIDA REPORTS THE TENSIONS 
HAVE PROMPTED FEARS OF A MILITARY CONFRONTATION BETWEEN THE TWO 
COUNTRIES.
TEXT:  NO DATE AND PLACE HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR THE PLANNED 
PEACE TALKS AND THERE HAS BEEN  NO  COMMENT FROM ANGOLAN 
OFFICIALS.  BUT ANALYSTS SAY THE AGREEMENT MUST BE A SOURCE OF 
RELIEF TO ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT FREDERICK CHILUBA.  HIS PREVIOUS 
EFFORTS TO ARRANGE A FACE-TO-FACE MEETING TO DISCUSS ANGOLA'S 
CHARGES WITH ANGOLAN LEADER JOSE EDUARDO DOS SANTOS HAVE BEEN 
REBUFFED.
ZAMBIA HAS REPEATEDLY DENIED GIVING ANY ASSISTANCE TO THE UNITA 
REBELS. BUT SOUTHERN AFRICAN SECURITY SOURCES SAY ANGOLAN 
OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN SO INCENSED OVER ZAMBIA'S ALLEGED MILITARY 
COOPERATION WITH UNITA THAT THEY PLANNED A PUNITIVE AIR STRIKE 
AGAINST ONE OF ZAMBIA'S MOST VITAL ECONOMIC INSTALLATIONS:  THE 
INDENI OIL REFINERY COMPLEX OUTSIDE THE NORTHERN TOWN OF NDOLA.
IT HAS BEEN REPORTED IN SOUTH AFRICA THAT THE UNITED STATES AND 
FRANCE INTERVENED WITH ANGOLAN AUTHORITIES TO PERSUADE THEM  NOT 
TO GO AHEAD WITH THE ATTACK.  
THERE HAS BEEN  NO  COMMENT ON THE PUBLISHED REPORTS FROM U-S OR 
FRENCH OFFICIALS.  BUT A SENIOR ANGOLAN OFFICIAL, SPEAKING TO THE
VOICE OF AMERICA ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY, SUGGESTS ZAMBIA WAS 
SO SCARED OF A POSSIBLE STRIKE THAT IT KEPT SOME MILITARY 
EQUIPMENT DESTINED FOR THE UNITA REBELS TO BOLSTER ITS OWN 
DEFENSES.
THIS OFFICIAL SAYS THAT MOVE, IN TURN, PROMPTED UNITA LEADER 
JONAS SAVIMBI TO MAKE A SECRET TRIP TO ZAMBIA RECENTLY.  AN 
INDEPENDENT SOURCE IN ZAMBIA CONFIRMS MR. SAVIMBI WAS IN THE 
COUNTRY WITHIN THE PAST FEW WEEKS FOR MEETINGS WITH ZAMBIAN 
OFFICIALS.  THE SOURCE SAYS THE UNITA LEADER SPECIFICALLY 
COMPLAINED THAT ZAMBIA HAD  NOT  DELIVERED SOME OF THE MILITARY 
EQUIPMENT IT HAD PROMISED TO BUY FOR THE REBELS.  UNITA IS 
UNDERSTOOD TO HAVE GIVEN THE ZAMBIANS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH 
OF DIAMONDS MINED FROM AREAS UNDER ITS CONTROL IN ANGOLA TO PAY 
FOR THE EQUIPMENT.
THE SENIOR ANGOLAN OFFICIAL SAYS ZAMBIA APPEARS TO BE MAKING AN 
EFFORT TO BE "MORE DISCRETE" IN ITS ASSISTANCE TO UNITA.  DESPITE
THIS, CREDIBLE REPORTS CONTINUE TO REACH THE VOICE OF AMERICA OF 
THE REBELS' RELIANCE ON ZAMBIA AS A MAIN ROUTE FOR ITS SUPPLIES. 
(SIGNED)
NEB/BEL/PCF 
15-Apr-99 11:31 AM EDT (1531 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.