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Speculation about the departure of General João de Matos, Chief of General Staff of the Forças Armadas Angolanas, suggests he may be Luanda's first casualty from the 'Angolagate' sanctions-busting scandal which threatens the highest reaches of France's political establishment (AC Vol 41 Nos 24 & 25). De Matos' tactical acumen is credited with the FAA's striking military turnaround in 1994. Arrest warrants have been issued in France for two foreign nationals who were granted Angolan citizenship - Pierre Falcone (detained) and Arkady Gaidamak - and who were the principals in a US$130 million arms deal in 1993. Official Angolan sources told Africa Confidential that De Matos remains in his post 'but we cannot be certain about the future'....

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Keywords:

João de Matos, France, Pierre Falcone, Arkady Gaidamak, Russian, Manuel Helder Vieira, Kopelipa, United States, Israel, Jonas Savimbi, Portuguese, Britain, Alexandre, Forças Armadas Angolanas, Africa Confidential, União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola, mestiço, Le Monde

Tag Cloud:

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