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ACTION AF-06
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PM-03 H-01 INR-07 L-02
NSAE-00 NSC-05 PA-01 PRS-01 SP-02 SS-15 USIA-06 AID-05
/055 W
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P R 241156Z FEB 75
FM AMEMBASSY MBABANE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7632
INFO AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
C O N F I D E N T I A L MBABANE 0341
PRETORIA PASS ARMYATT
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: MASS, APUB, US, WZ
SUBJECT: GOS REQUEST FOR MILITARY PUBLICATIONS
AND FILMS
REFS: A. MBABANE 0076; B. STATE 62603, 3/29/74
1. ON FEB. 18, EMBASSY RECEIVED NOTE FROM GOS DEPT. OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS REQUESTING BOOKS AND FILMS "RELATING TO
ARMY TECHNIQUES" FOR THE KINGDOM'S DEFENSE FORCE LIBRARY.
THIS REQUEST COMES FROM MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN
AFFAIRS S.M. MATSEBULA WHO IS DEEPLY INTERESTED IN TRAIN-
ING OF SWAZILAND'S NEW ARMY. SINCE USG REFUSED EARLIER
GOS REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE (REF B), MATSEBULA HAS RAISED
THIS QUESTION SEVERAL TIMES WITH CHARGE, MENTIONED IT TO
ARMY ATTACHE COL. BOURNES DURING ATTACHES VISIT TO MBABANE
JAN. 7 & 8, AND REFERRED TO IT DURING MEETING WITH THE
AMBASSADOR ON JANUARY 14 (REF A). IN THESE DISCUSSIONS,
MATSEBULA HAS EMPHASIZED THAT GOS IS SEEKING TO TRANSFORM
THE TRADITIONAL WAY OF RECRUITING AND TRAINING TRIBAL
"REGIMENTS" INTO A MORE MODERN SYSTEM. THE PURPOSE IS
AS MUCH SOCIAL, IN THE SENSE OF GIVING THE YOUNG RECRUITS
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A SENSE OF COMRADESHIP AND PATRIOTISM, AS IT IS MILITARY.
IN THE DISCUSSION ON JAN. 14, THE AMBASSADOR REITERATED
USG POSITION ON MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO SWAZILAND ADDING
THAT ANY NEW GOS REQUEST WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO WASHINGTON
FOR CONSIDERATION.
2. THE EMBASSY AND THE AMBASSADOR RECOMMEND THAT WE BE
RESPONSIVE TO THIS REQUEST. BOOKS, TRAINING MANUALS AND
FILMS ARE NOT LIKELY TO ENHANCE CAPABILITY OF SWAZI ARMY
BUT WOULD CONSTITUTE A FRIENDLY GESTURE THAT WOULD BE MUCH
APPRECIATED BY KING SOBHUZA AND OTHER TOP OFFICIALS. TWO
YEARS AFTER ITS CREATION, THE ARMY HAS BECOME A FACT OF
LIFE IN SWAZILAND THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED; WE SHOULD BE
DEVELOPING OUR CONTACTS IN THIS IMPORTANT INTEREST GROUP
WHICH SEEMS CERTAIN TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE, PARTICULARLY
IN POST-SOBHUZA SWAZILAND. THE PERIODIC PRESENTATION OF
TRAINING BOOKS AND FILMS IS ONE VEHICLE FOR DOING THIS.
3. IF THE DEPT. CONCURS, THE EMBASSY WILL ASK COL. BOURNES
IF HE CAN PROVIDE A FEW TRAINING MANUALS AND FILMS AS WELL
AS A LIST OF OTHER MATERIALS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, FOR THE
EMBASSY TO PASS TO MATSEBULA FOR THE GOS DEFENSE FORCE
LIBRARY.
LANE
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