‘Russia, Cuba have begun Africa drive’

Press, 12 April 1978, Page 9

‘Russia, Cuba have begun Africa drive’

NZPA Washington The Soviet Union and Cuba have launched the greatest campaign to expand foreign influence south of the Sahara since European powers carved up Africa in the nineteenth century, the deputy director of the American Central Intelligence Agency (Mr Frank Carlucci) has said. Mr Carlucci, flanked by agency experts, appeared before the Senate and services sub-committee on intelligence to testify on Soviet and Cuban activity and intentions in the whole of Africa. In a brief prepared statement and in answer to general questions belfore the meeting was closed to the public, Mr Carlucci said: “The degree of Soviet and Cuban military activity in sub-Saharan Africa is unprecedented. We are witnessing the most determined campaign to expand

foreign influence in this troubled region since it was carved up by the European Powers in the late nineteenth century.” He added: “Soviet military equipment has been flowing into Ethiopia and Angola faster than the local forces can absorb it.” Tank deliveries to Ethiopia exceeded 400, more than 50 MiG fighrers had gone to Addis Ababa as had “huge quantities of armoured cars, personnel carriers and artillery.” Soviet and Cuban general officers “plan and coordinate combat operations involving more than 16,000 Cuban troops. Soviet military aid committed to Ethiopia “now ranges close to one billion American dollars.” In Angola, “tons of Soviet military hardware litter the docks at Luanda (the capital) and Soviet or Cuban advisers are found at every level of the Government . . . There are more Cuban soldiers in

Angola than in Ethiopia, thousands of them engaged in active combat against Unita (anti-Com-rnunist forces) in the southern part of the country.” In Africa south of the Sahara Mr Carlucci said, Soviet equipment is being delivered to liberation movements and self-styled revolutionary regimes whose forces are being trained by Cubans and Soviets. “It is my view hat Moscow and Havana intend to take advantage of every such opportunity to demonstrate that those who accept the’- political philosophy can also count on receiving their assistance when it is needed,” Mr Carlucci said. M. Carlucci said that the C.I.A. did not yet have sufficient information on Somali reports that the Soviets were behind reported recent coup d’etat attempts in Somalia.