VZCZCXRO2110
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLU #0435/01 1571335
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051335Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY LUANDA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4823
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 LUANDA 000435 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAID MCAP KHDP AO
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR DAS STEPHEN GANYARD'S VISIT TO 
ANGOLA 
 
¶1. (SBU) the Embassy Angola team warmly welcomes your June 14 
- 17 visit to Angola.  This visit provides an excellent 
opportunity to witness firsthand the devastating effects of 
landmine and UXO contamination in Angola and explore the ways 
in which USG support for humanitarian demining and weapons 
destruction is helping to build a peaceful, secure, healthy, 
democratic, and economically prosperous Angola. 
 
Overview 
-------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Angola's political and military leadership continues 
to be wary of U.S. intentions, especially concerning Africom 
and our goals for military engagement with the region in 
general and with Angola in particular.  Increasingly, Angola 
is taking a larger leadership role in regional peace and 
security organizations such as the Southern Africa 
Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU). 
 
¶3. (U) Six years after the end in 2002 of a 27-year civil 
war, Angola is at a pivotal juncture in its development and 
reconstruction.  A democratic, stable, healthy and 
economically prosperous Angola is vital to both regional 
stability and prosperity and US national security interests. 
Our principal goal is to promote a more peaceful, secure, 
prosperous, democratic, and healthy Angola by strengthening 
Angola,s ability to more efficiently use its vast mineral 
wealth to improve the well-being of all citizens. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Perhaps the greatest constraint to improving our 
ties with the Angolan government and the military in 
particular is our history with Angola.  President Dos Santos 
has publicly chastised the powers that interfered in colonial 
Angola for not helping rebuild the country after decades of 
civil war, and he includes the U.S. in that group.  Many of 
Angola's civilian and military leaders fought against rebels 
backed by the U.S. and blame the U.S. for the suffering 
inflicted by those rebels on their families.  Some Angolans 
seek to strengthen ties with the U.S., but many others, 
including the still powerful and influential Minister of 
Defense, are wary. 
 
Military Cooperation 
-------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The force strength of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) 
is estimated at 110,000 to 120,000 soldiers, of which 2/3 are 
in the Army and the other 1/3 divided between the Air Force 
and Navy.  The FAA was created though the combination of MLPA 
and UNITA armed forces at the end of the civil war, and due 
to field experience and training received throughout the long 
war is regarded as one of the better African forces.  As 
Angola transitions into a post-conflict force structure, GRA 
officials are planning to reduce its standing military to 
between 50,000 and 90,000 personnel.  Angola is the head of 
the peace and security councils of both SADC and the African 
Union.  Angola has welcomed its leadership position on these 
multi-lateral councils, and is consulting closely with its 
African neighbors on a wide range of regional security 
issues, including the conflict in the Democratic Republic of 
Congo.  These multi-lateral groups are key in forming 
regional opinion on U.S. involvement on the continent through 
Africom and in shaping regional responses to diplomatic 
trouble spots, such as Zimbabwe.  Angola has, to date, 
declined to participate in regional or international 
peacekeeping operations, citing the need to focus its 
resources on rebuilding its own war-torn country. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) As Angola increases its efforts to become a 
regional player, bilateral engagement with the U.S. and NATO 
allies is slowing down (with the exception of Portugal), 
while engagement with others, notably Israel and Russia, is 
increasing.  Despite promis