PRESS GUIDANCES - UTA CRASH/ANGOLA/SWAPO

UNCLAS STATE 302065 FROM AF/P: INFORM CONSULS AND PAOS E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: OPRC PREL SF US SUBJECT: PRESS GUIDANCES - UTA CRASH/ANGOLA/SWAPO ¶1. THE FOLLOWING THREE GUIDANCES WERE PREPARED FOR THE NOON BRIEFING, SEPTEMBER 20, 1989. ¶2. Q. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE CRASH OF UTA FLIGHT 772? ¶A. WE UNDERSTAND THAT UTA FLIGHT 772 BOUND FROM NDJAMENA TO PARIS CRASHED 650 KMS NORTHWEST OF NDJAMENA IN CENTRAL NIGER. THE CRASH SITE HAS BEEN LOCATED AND THERE DO NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY SURVIVORS. THERE WERE SEVEN AMERICANS BELIEVED TO BE ON BOARD, INCLUDING THE WIFE OF OUR AMBASSADOR TO CHAD, MRS. BONNIE PUGH. ¶Q. WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH ¶A. WE HAVE NO INFORMATION ON THE CASE OF THE CRASH AT THIS TIME. ¶Q. WHAT ABOUT THE CLAIMS THAT AN EXPLOSION PRECEDED THE CRASH? ¶A. WE ARE UNABLE TO VERIFY PRESS REPORTS OF A POSSIBLE EXPLOSION AT THIS TIME, ALTHOUGH WE ARE AWARE THE AIRLINE IS NOW SAYING A BOMB MOST LIKELY WAS THE CAUSE. ¶Q. WHAT OF THE CLAIMS THAT THIS WAS A TERRORIST ATTACK BY THE ISLAMIC JIHAD ORGANIZATION? ¶A. WE HAVE NO INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION ON THIS. SEARCH AND RESCUE EFFORT: U.S. INVOLVEMENT: EFFORT IS BEING MOUNTED AND COORDINATED BY THE FRENCH WHO HAVE EQUIPMENT AND PERSONNEL IN THE REGION. THEY ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE GOVERNMENTS OF NIGER AND CHAD. OUR EMBASSIES ARE IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH THE FRENCH AND THE GOVERNMENTS OF NIGER AND CHAD, AS WELL AS THE AIRLINE. WE HAVE DISPATCHED EMBASSY PERSONNEL TO THE CRASH SITE. WE HAVE OFFERED U.S. ASSISTANCE TO THE OTHER GOVERNMENTS INVOLVED; WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR WHAT THEY NEED. WE HAVE OFFERED ASSISTANCE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF NIGER IN INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH, AND A TEAM OF INVESTIGATORS IS STANDING BY IN WASHINGTON TO TRAVEL TO NIGER. AMONG OTHER THINGS, THESE INVESTIGATIONS CAN HELP WITH THE RECOVERY AND ANALYSIS OF THE PLANE'S FLIGHT RECORDER. THE U.S. HAS A DEEP INTEREST IN THE FATE OF THE PASSENGERS AND CREW OF FLIGHT 772. THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE, ED PERKINS, HAS SENT A MESSAGE TO AMBASSADOR PUGH ON BEHALF OF ALL HIS COLLEAGUES. HANK COHEN HAS SPOKEN WITH AMBASSADOR PUGH. OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH HIM. ¶3. Q: DO YOU HAVE A READ OUT ON THE KINSHASA SUMMIT? A: HANK COHEN WAS IN AFRICA LAST WEEK. HE MET WITH MOBUTU AND SAVIMBI SEPARATELY. ATLHOUGH WE WOULD HAVE PREFERRED THAT DR. SAVIMBI ATTEND THE SEPTEMBER 18 MEETING IN KINSHASA, SAVIMBI DID SEND A PERSONAL DELEGATION TO THE MEETING. WE URGE ALL PARTIES TO BEGIN A MEANINGFUL NEGOTIATION WITHOUT ANY POLITICAL PRE-CONDITIONS OR NON-NEGOTIABLE DEMANDS. THE UNITED STATES STRONGLY SUPPORTS UNITA AND ITS GOALS OF NATIONAL RECONCILIATION -- FOLLOWED BY FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS. THE UNITED STATES DOES NOT ACCEPT THE CONCEPTS OF EXILE -- AMNESTY OR INTEGRATION. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN AND SUPPORT PRESIDENT MOBUTU. WE REGRET DR. SAVIMBI'S DECISION NOT TO ATTEND THE KINSHASA SUMMIT. DUE TO HIS ABSENCE, IT APPEARS THAT THE SUMMIT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE ANY SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS TOWARD SIGNING A CEASEFIRE AND BEGINNING DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS FOR NATIONAL RECONCILIATION. ¶4. Q: CAN YOU COMMENT ON REPORTS THAT SWAPO DETAINED AND TORTURED ITS MEMBERS? A: THE UNITED STATES DEPLORES SWAPO'S REPORTED USE OF TORTURE AGAINST ITS OWN MEMBERS. WE URGE SWAPO TO CONDUCT A PROMPT INVESTIGATION AND IDENTIFY ALL INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MISTREATMENT. THE SECRETARY GENERAL'S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE (SR) IN NAMIBIA HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ASSURE THAT ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS AND DETAINEES HAVE BEEN RELEASED, WHETHER HELD BY NAMIBIAN OFFICIALS OR SWAPO. THE SYG HAS SENT A TEAM TO LOOK INTO ALLEGATIONS AT SWAPO CAMPS IN ZAMB1A AND ANGOLA, A MEASURE WE FULLY SUPPORT. WE CALL UPON THE GOVERNMENTS OF THOSE COUNTRIES AND UPON SWAPO TO COOPERATE FULLY AND RAPIDLY WITH THAT INVESTIGATION. BAKER