The Communist World
EN-LAI'S AFRICAN TOUR
Now in the backstretch of bis African tour, Chou En-lai hasmade good progress toward achieving Pelping's modest improving the Chineseimage in the area. Chou's shrewd handling of various national loaders during his month on the road has thus faravorable Impression on his hosts.
Kaairl
surprisedou's quiet intelligence and his apparentto accept the principle of nonalignment. Nasir also said he was relieved that Chou did not "attempt to mount an offensive" against the Soviet Union. Thepremior has in fact avoided public polemical thrusts at Moscow, but there aro reports that in both Cairo and Algiers he sought tothe Sovietsteady stream of Innuendo and subtle
Other African leaders have boen favorably impressed by Chou's reasonable and easygoing manner. Vblle he has defended the Chinese positions on the Slno-Indian border impasse, the nuclear tost ban, and tho convening of Afro-Asian and nonaligned conferences, Chou still appears to have had some success in erasing the imageilitant and obstructionist China. The joint communique's issuod at the conclusion of each of his African stops have avoided mostissues, and it has becomo apparent that in the search for common gTound Chou has attempted to minimize differences and play up the Importance of earlier
Despite his adroitness in dealing with his hosts, Chou's tangible achievements have not
been dramatic. Although Chinoso propaganda has hailed the Tunisian visitajor diplomatic Pelping's success there to beualified one. Chou's brief stopover ln Tunis caraoine-day side trip to Albania, and was apparentlyonly after the African tour was well under way. Nevertheless. President Bourguiba's reception of Chou was not enthusiastic, and he made lt clear to his guest that the establishment of diplomaticstep he had announced as imminent as for back asnot mean Tunisian endorsement of man/ Chinese policy positions nor even the early appointmentunisian envoy to Peiping.
Chou now is on the West log of his tour, visiting Ghana, Kali, and Guinea--all of which have long recognized Peiping. After leaving Conakry onanuary he is schoduled to swing through East stopping In Tanganyika, Konya, Uganda, Sudan, and the Somali
The Chinese were expected to ceturn to PoipinB:_in mid-Februa:
'is Itinerary has"boon flexib^ throughout the tour, and be now is reportedly considering at least two other Africanand Ethiopia. The foreignin Zanzibar's now left-wing government has long maintained' close ties with Communist China. At the close of their tour, the Chinese leaders are committed to state visits to Pakistan and Coylon.
Jan 64
INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY REVIEW
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