World Notes DIPLOMACY

After 13 years of fighting, the antagonists in Angola's stalemated civil war took a tentative step toward peace last week. In London representatives of the U.S. and South Africa, supporters of Angola's UNITA rebels, met for the first time with officials of the Marxist-oriented Angolan government and its Cuban allies. Presided over by Chester Crocker, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, the talks focused on a proposal by Cuba and Angola to withdraw Cuba's estimated 40,000 troops from Angola over a four-year period. In exchange, Cuba and Angola want the South Africans to remove their soldiers from Angola as well, and to abide by the U.N. resolution that would give independence to Angola's neighbor Namibia, which is occupied by South Africa.

South Africa said it is prepared to train and equip troops in Mozambique to defend a 700-mile regional power grid that will resume service later this year. The move could ease tensions between the two countries over allegations that South Africa backs rebels who are trying to topple the Mozambican government.