ANGOLAN PRESIDENT DOS SANTOS VISITS EQUATORIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L LUANDA 000159 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/S E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL AO SUBJECT: ANGOLAN PRESIDENT DOS SANTOS VISITS EQUATORIAL GUINEA AND SPAIN Classified By: Amb. Cynthia Efird for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos made an official two day visit to Equatorial Guinea on February 14 and 15, 2007, accompanied by his wife and a large governmental delegation. Dos Santos in his arrival speech emphasized South-South cooperation between the two countries and the importance of petroleum to the economies of both countries. In addition he noted their need to collaborate and cooperate on internal security, the Gulf of Guinea Commission, technical know how in oil-exploration and contracting and negotiation with international partners. ¶2. (U) Angola signed six new bilateral accords on education, culture, commerce, fisheries, infrastructure and the lifting of visas for Angolan and Guinean citizens traveling on diplomatic or official passports between the two countries. No speicfics were offered on the agreements. In February 2006, during the visit of Guinean President to Angola, the two countries signed five accords on defense, internal security, air transportation, petroleum and cooperation. ¶3. (C) On February 14, 2007, the Spanish Ambassador told Ambassador Efird that President dos Santos would travel to Spain upon completion of the Equatorial Guinea visit, accompanied by three physicians. In the past dos Santos has undergone medical treatment in Spain. Dos Santos often schedules travel for medical treatment immediately following other official travel so the focus is on the official travel and not the medical travel. EFIRD