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Malawi set to clear Zimbabwe arms
Nyasa Times (Malawi)
April 29, 2008

http://nyasatimes.com/national/120.html

Malawi government has sent a top three man national intelligence experts to Angola to look at ways of helping Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe clear the weapons aboard the beleaguered Chinese ship that has docked in Luanda, Angola, Nyasa Times has learnt.

The Malawi team is comprised of Mr Clement Kapalamula - Head of Secret Intelligence Services (SIS), Mr George Masinga - Acting Director of Foreign Relations (Intelligence) and a Mr Matanga - Technical Engineer (Intelligence).

The delegation left the country on Sunday through Kamuzu International Airport via South Africa to Luanda, Angola's capital to assess the means of clearing the arms in disguise as if they have been donated to Malawi by the Chinese Defence Forces.

"Malawi Secret Intelligence Services (SIS) was approached by the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) of Zimbabwe to help in clearing the arms if the ship docked in Angola," said a State House source speaking on condition of anonymity.

Malawi leader Bingu Mutharika is a staunch supporter of the 84 year old Zimbabwean dictator and has been providing supplies to his household and 'donated' 400 000 tonnes of maize to ZANU-PF to buy votes during the March 29 disputed general elections.

China and Zimbabwe want to clear the weapons as a donation to Malawi under recently signed US$4 million China-Malawi defence cooperation. The weapons are further to be smuggled into Zimbabwe.

"The plan is to clear the arms as if they are to be used by Malawi while in real sense they will be passed over to Zimbabwe using trucks ferrying maize being sold to Zimbabwe by the president," added the source.

The Malawi government actions come at the back of a Monday's White House warning against sending arms to Zimbabwe where the March 29 general elections has provoked a stand-off and bloodshed.

"We urge anyone who is thinking about sending arms to the region to rethink that, so that we can try to solve this peacefully," said White House spokesperson Dana Perino.

But Angola announced Saturday that the ship carrying would only be allowed to unload merchandise destined for Angola while it docked in Luanda.

Besides Malawi, Angola has long been one of Mugabe's staunchest allies but the refusal was wrongly adjudged as a symbol of solidarity in the region.

China and Malawi agreed to strengthen military cooperation in various fields during the talks between the defence ministers of the two countries Beijing during President Mutharika's official visit in March 2008 following the recognition of the one-China Policy that refuses to recognise the sovereign existence of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

"The Chinese armed forces attach great importance to establishing and developing relations with the Malawian armed forces," said Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie and added that the China was ready to develop exchanges and cooperation with Malawi in various fields.

Earlier this month, SADC states refused to allow a Chinese ship to unload arms.

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