STAFF NOTES: MIDDLE EAST AFRICA SOUTH ASIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00608R000400030048-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 31, 2005
• Sequence Number: 48
• Publication Date: June 12, 1975
• Content Type: REPORT

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1TL1CF K a
Middle East
Africa
South Asia
State Department review completed
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June 12, 1975
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Morocco-Spain: Rabat Concerned About Spanish
Reaction to Sahara Incidents . . . . . . . . . 1
North Yemen: Hamdi Regime One Year After . . . 2
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June 12, 1975
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Morocco-Spain
Rabat Concerned About Spanish Reaction
to Sahara Incidents
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Moroccan Foreign Minister Laraki made three
demarches to the Spanish ambassador this week urging
Madrid not to overreact to two recent incursions
into Spanish Sahara by Moroccan army units. Laraki
stressed that the incursions were not directed
against Spain.
Morocco may have been trying to establish a
presence in the area as a signal to Algeria and the
pro-independence Saharan party it supports that
Morocco is prepared to occupy the disputed territory
whenever Madrid withdraws. If the Spanish do begin
a pullback at a later date, these incursions may
well be a preview of things to come.
The incidents were the first overt intrusions
by regular Moroccan forces. In the first incursion,
on June 8, 46 Moroccan army personnel surrendered
without resistance to Spanish forces that had en-
circled them. They apparently were under orders
not to engage Spanish troops in a fire fight. On
June 10, Moroccan forces that approached a Spanish
military post in the northwestern corner of the ter-
ritory withdrew quickly when they found the post
defended.
Rabat apparently mistakenly believed the two
remote outposts had been abandoned by Spanish troops.
It is now seeking Madrid's cooperation in arranging
the return of Moroccan prisoners. It also does not
want to close the door to negotiations with Madrid,
So far, Madrid has reacted calmly to the Moroccan
incursions. It is continuing its efforts to arrange
four-party negotiations with Morocco, Mauritania, and
Algeria to discuss the future of Spanish Sahara.
June 12, 1975
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North Yemen
Hamdi Regime One Year After
Colonel Ibrahim Hamdi, head of the ruling Command
Council, appears to he infull control as North Yemen
marks--on June 13--the first anniversary of his take-
over.
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Hamdi, who has neutralized both leftist and con-
servative opponents in recent months, is expected to
solidify his position in the near future by increasir,g
the size of the Command Co?ancil--nominally the highest
authority in the country--with his supporters. Hamdi
may also drop from the cabinet: Minister of Interior
Lt. Colonel. Yahya al-Mutawakkil, his only significant
remaining opponent. Al-Mutawakkil, who is also a
member of the council, has been associated with the
ambitious Abu-Luhum family and ni-har nr,4-, -Tj r. ,
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Hamdi's efforts to curtail t:.ie power of the tribal
sheikhs and modernize North Yemen's political system
was given a boost recently with the passage of a new
election law for the Consultative Assembly. Unlike
the old law, which established a complicated and in-
direct process of selection that favored tribal leaders,
the new procedure provides for the direct election of
128 deputies from fixed constituencies. The old provi-
sion for the appointment by the president of up to
14 deputies was dropped. Elections are.not expected
to be held for a number of months, however. This
will presumably give Hamdi more time to expand the
central government's control over the hinterland.
Hamdi may attempt to mobilize the wide popularity
he seems to be enjoying throughout the country in an
effort to strengthen his political position even
June 12, 1975
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The US embassy in Sana expects Hamdi to extend
the present transitional period in North Yemen's
political life until the elections. The embassy 25X1
believes the prospects for stability for the short
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June,12, 1975
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