IN ONE sense the political importance of Western nuclear aid to South Africu is obvious. II provides the P'retoria lorfuremerchants with the ultimate weapon.
Liberal commentators prefer nuclear arms are simply strategie and would never used internally. Don't you PeLIcYC Wu lac oaroa a00 apparent unreason bebiad the regine s past actions leave no doubt that an apartheid state Mertion stopaie woule bate morially woubded no hesiration in consigning the WEST Germany has other. more obscure methods of TULEAE SOTCHYETNSUEISE ern Africa. Most bizarre is the OIRAG cincession in castern Zaire. By un Zacem Ber zs eme alre Government agreed cunnicte coniro of a truct of land Iotalling 10 per cent of Zairois territor) to the Trunspurt und Ruketen Gesellshuft for an unnual reat of 25 million zaires [ahout $50 million], OTRAG's business seems to be testing Cruise and lungrange musades. OTRAG di### OROL USCLEIOCUEEE But there is another aspect to TOC TOVEH LONS OO EBEs PagoR LU looks increasinaly likely that SOCIA AIS DOME SCREE a workshop for rearmument. the terms of th: Potsdam agreement ind the Tresty of risseis Ir 1954 specify that.
Geniins is nat allowed to develop long-range and guided MISCOR TSUW ICRE The development of its own CUCICAT TOCEEDO Cu SOEE African soil is a way of getting the Tound tos, rrsumaor, 30 LOC event of a confrontation with the Sovier Enien in Europe, rector Lute Kaiser claints tha this is for purely commercial purposes: "Oer company wil launch... [satellites)...into orbit for whuterer aftord to pay. We sell satellite launching, powered by our BEYE launch missiles.
like a road haulnge company. along Lake Tungunyka He names the Bruzilinn and Indonesiun governmenis as two Orbitel ofhis clients.
Both the Bonn Gevemment and the Uf Stute Department confirm the purely commercial сатисе о виє ореганов. •THULDCE of HUSSUUBS ECRUE EO MIn neither the Germans nor the whole of southern African to there would be missiles with Africa nuclear warheads on sandby in South Africa Germany has tried the sarne trick belore, when the Weimar Republic of the 19205 used the German Treaty of Rapallo to build up Citi aroned lores an loreien of 1945 territory. Only chen the partner wasthe Soviet Unica!
West The OTRAG project in Zaire is another fascinatine example imperialist intervention. As the article on this page suggests, there cao be Little doubt thai this is another way forthe West Germany state to develop its nuclear capacity, Increased Germian activity in Americans can provide satisfactory answers.
Why was the Zaire Gorernment prepared to make this country can unprecedeated teritorial concession to a private company?
We operate Why does the OTRAG missile system striking resemblance lo European "Ariane' system?
And why was the first laumch fram the OTRAG lest side Layus on preceded by tests at Lampolsswkward huusen, the bome of the German national aerospace authority?
nost inportant WELS NEO-EMPIRE methods was Bny when Shaba rebels.
There is Phone, if not from French bear such a the Ariane system.
May 1976 military atena.
for example in Somalia - has been one of the features of recent months Hut French involvement has heen on the up with direct military intervention in Zaire and the We cannot rell whether chere Franco-German agreement to protect the OTRAG concession last April Freach and Moroccun troops weat in to put down the Ir is clear. however, that France is set upon carving a noo-empire in Africa and that German interests could bean obstacke.
aiso a rising anti German sentiment at Giscard expecially, then certaialy from ail the other major parties, with the Socialits and Conneuniss no exception. No wander the acrospace authorities look askance ar lhe OTRAG project, which bears a sunking resersblance lo their owi In a period of increased trade rivalty and bestility to West the Ciermany, Europe's smongest imperialism, Little thought has been given so the posstbility thar chose rivalries might spill over into the political or cren territory
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE, 2 February, 1977 page 10 Being ignorant and reactionary is not a characteristic