GR 180
HKK OSI/I.
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY. $1 3 1 JUL 1978
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
RES RY
Action
CONFIDENTIAL
PRE
35
PA
CYPHER CAT A
FM 271133Z
CONFIDENTIAL
TO ROUTINE HONG KONG TELNO 583 OF 27 JULY
INFO LUSAKA
33
YOUR TELNO 923: TRAINING OF ZAMBIAN POLICE
1, THE SAS ARE GENERALLY REGARDED RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY, AS HAVING
A SPECIAL INTERVENTIONIST MYSTIQUE. IN ADDITION, IN
AFRICAN TERMS THEY HAV AN UNFORTUNATE REPUTATION, ACQUIRED
DURING THE CONFLICT OVER THE RECRUITMENT OF MERCENARIES FOR ANGOLA. WE REALISE THAT THE ZAMBIANS SEE NO DIFFICULTY OVER THESE FACTORS. BUT WE CONSIDER THAT THEY COULD WELL CAUSE SERVICES DIFFICULTIES DOMESTICALLY, AND ELSEWHERE. IN AFRICA WHERE, DESPITE PROTESTS TO THE CONTRARY, AN SAS TEAM IN ZAMBIA WOULD INEVITABLY BE SEEN AS LINKED TO THE RHODESIAN CONFLICT. AT A
TIME WHEN OUR POLICY IS TO CONDEMN ALL EXTERNAL INTERVENTION IN
AFRICAN AFFAIRS, TO SEND THE SAS, WITH THE SPECIAL AURA THAT SURROUNDS THEIR ACTIVITIES, TO ONE OF THE MOST DELICATE REGIONS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, COULD IN MANY QUARTERS BE MISUNDERSTOOD,
PARTICULARLY GIVEN THEIR SUPPOSED LINK WITH ANGOLA
OWEN
FILES. CSAD HKYGD ора
CONFIDENTIAL