World Notes ANGOLA

Prospects for peace in southern Africa cleared a major hurdle last week as South Africa announced that it had finally agreed in principle to a timetable for the withdrawal of Cuban troops from Angola. The Cubans will first move north, then sail for home over the next 27 months. South African Foreign Minister Roelof ("Pik") Botha described the long-standing issue as "a hard nut, which had to be cracked and now has been cracked."

In Washington, State Department officials hailed the news as a testament to the tenacity of mediator Chester Crocker, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. The agreement is expected to clear the way for the withdrawal of South African troops from Namibia and independence for the former South African protectorate.

An initial protocol will probably be signed next week, but Botha has stressed that an agreement on the verification process of the Cuban withdrawal is essential before any move toward Namibian independence can begin. He may get unexpected help. Both Cuba and Angola have asked United Nations peacekeepers to monitor the Cuban pullout.