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Article: The transfer of Fernando Poo. (Equatorial Guinea's relations with Spain)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- March 5, 1988
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1988 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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FOR ages, the source of the cocoa used to make the thick hot chocolate which Spaniards drink at any time of day or night has been Equatorial Guinea, Spain's only ex-colony in black Africa. The Spanish government, whose ministers perhaps prefer Colombian coffee, have now decided that Equatorial Guinea is an intolerable burden. On February 26th the government arranged to pay the African state 1.4 billion pesetas ($12m) as compensation for pulling out of its national bank. Spain will also hand over its 50% stake in the bank, making a financial break with its lone black African godson. No matter. There's always another European around.
Having burned themselves out in ...