Soviet Union holds back in Zaire

Press, 22 April 1977, Page 12

Soviet Union holds back in Zaire

By

DEV MURARKA

in Moscow

Soviet reaction to developments in Zaire has been low key, but firm. The Kremlin is increasingly alarmed that the whole affair may take on bigger dimensions than it deserves. A Tass statement on April 12 rejected insinuations that Moscow is in anyway involved in the events taking place in Zaire; it accused instead. China, Morocco and South Africa of interfering in the internal affairs of the country. The Soviet statement also asserted that there was not a single Cuban or Angolan soldier fighting in Zaire and suggested that the rebellion in Katanga was a civil war. Curiously enough, the Tass statement, while hinting at French intervention, did not mention France by name, perhaps in deference to the special relationship Moscow is apt to claim with France from time to time. But earlier T ass had sent a despatch from Paris deploring the French provision of transport planes to carry Moroccan troops to Zaire. It also pointed out that there

were French instructors with the Zaire army, although there was no defence treaty between Zaire and France. Russians have yet to react to President Giscard d’Estaing’s claims that France had a special responsibility for the whole of French-speaking Africa. The Tass statement said: “From the outset there were those who wished to interfere in these events. There are such people in the West, in the Middle East and in the Far East. A number of Western countries, as well as China, are urgently sending arms and military supplies to the Central Government of Zaire. Morocco has sent a contingent of its troops to Zaire. The racist regime of South Africa is beginning to interfere in the events of that country. Some Western countries are recruiting mercenaries to be sent to Zaire.” The statement goes on: “Today nobody attempts to deny the fact that there is not a single Angolan and not a single Cuban among the re-

bels in the south of Zaire." The statement implies, and this has been obvious, that the Soviet sympathies lie with the Katangan rebels. Tass had also publicised, before the statement, a claim made by the rebel Zairean leader, Mr Nathaniel Mbouma, that his forces controlled vast territories in Zaire, including “Muchacha, Kisenge, Kasaji and other cities.” The rebel leader was also quoted as saying that his troops were using arms captured in fighting with the Government troops and that the official army units are even defecting to the rebel side.

But the Russians are not keen on getting involved in the Zaire dispute. Soviet experts maintain that though the rebels have crossed over from the Angolan territory, they are not Angolans but remnants of Mr Tshombe’s followers who have been forced to leave Angola. As such, they were left with little choice but to raise their flag of rebellion against Mr Mobutu.

The rebels may have calculated that Mr Mobutu’s un-

popularity with the Angolans and others would stand them in good stead. Moreover, the feeling in Moscow is that Mr Mobutu is internally so discredited that his position had become shaky long before the rebels acted. In the Soviet view, the French-Moroccan intervention, perhaps undertaken at the bidding of Washington, can do little to improve Mr Mobutu’s chances except to delay the outcome of the struggle.

Moscow would welcome any development that might results in a new relationship between Angola and Zaire as this would further undermine the position of South Africa as well as the Western countries on the continent. But Moscow is not inclined to take steps that might enlarg the Zaire war and bring about another political or military confrontation of the Angolan type. Soviet experts are noting with satisfaction that in spite of some “hysterical outbursts” by Dr Kissinger, Washington also seems to be disinclined to intervene on a big scale. — O.F.N.S. Copyright.