U.S. to Give Military Aid to Mozambique

The United States is opening a “limited” military aid relationship with Mozambique, reflecting what officials say is a major improvement in U.S. relations with that Marxist country over the last two years.

U.S. officials, who spoke only on condition they not be identified, said the Reagan Administration is planning $1 million in non-lethal military assistance for the southern African nation in 1985 and an additional $150,000 for training Mozambican military forces.

The aid program is the latest evidence of a turnabout in U.S. relations with the former Portuguese colony, which not long ago was considered a loyal ally of Moscow.

Over the last year, the United States and Mozambique have exchanged ambassadors and opened a cultural exchange program. In addition, Mozambique received more U.S. emergency food assistance--$22 million--in 1984 than any other African country. The United States is also resuming development assistance to Mozambique for the first time since the late 1970s.

“We have seen a major improvement in relations with Mozambique over the past two years,” said Robert Bruce, a spokesman in the State Department’s bureau of African affairs. “We seek to develop a limited military relationship with Mozambique.”

U.S. relations with that country had hit a low point in 1981 when Mozambique expelled a number of U.S. diplomats, alleging that they were CIA operatives.

Last fall, Mozambique joined the Western-dominated International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, leaving Angola as the only African country that has not taken that step. Mozambique’s anti-U.S. rhetoric also has been toned down, officials said.

In addition, Mozambican President Samora M. Machel has been shifting away from socialism and relying more on the private sector in a bid to revitalize his country’s economy.

Another milestone was achieved in 1984 when Mozambique and South Africa signed an agreement in which they committed themselves not to support rebels in each other’s territory.