PRESS BRIEFING BY SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR ANGOLA

3 March 1997

Press Briefing

PRESS BRIEFING BY SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR ANGOLA

19970303 FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY

The virtual end of the war in Angola in the past two years was the most remarkable step forward there, Alioune Blondin Beye, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Angola, told correspondents at a Headquarters press briefing Friday afternoon, 28 February.

Responding to questions, he said most Angolans would say that the past two years had, indeed, been the longest period in their history -- since the country's decolonization -- in which there had been no war.

Mr. Beye said that the cease-fire had been holding, and there had not been any significant violations. Security incidents were more in the nature of banditry than actual war. He told a correspondent that progress had been made in the quartering of the forces of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). The United Nations was caring for the former combatants and their families. About 20,000 UNITA soldiers had abandoned the quartering areas, and there were allegations, he said, that some of them had gone to Zaire.

Mr. Beye said UNITA had made a declaration on 11 December last year that it had completed the quartering of its soldiers, and that it had surrendered all of its weapons and other military equipment. The declaration had been accepted at face value. Progress had been made in the country. Eight months ago, there were more than 700 checkpoints, whereas, today, there were 123. Freedom of movement throughout the country had increasingly become a reality.

On the humanitarian front, Mr. Beye said the Secretary-General would make an appeal in March for funds to continue relief activities for 1997.

A correspondent asked whether he could confirm an allegation made last Thursday by the United States Ambassador that Angolan soldiers were present in Zaire. "I cannot confirm it. It's not my role to do so, nor do I deny it", Mr. Beye replied. What was certain, he said, was that since Zaire had a long border with Angola there was a natural dovetailing of what happened in the two countries. The situation was being watched to ensure there was no negative fall-out from the conflict in the Great Lakes region. He had been in contact with the Angolan authorities and with Zaire President Mobutu Sese Seko.

Another correspondent asked whether he had been in touch with the United States on the allegations or whether he had been provided with information by Washington on the alleged Angolan troop presence in Zaire. Mr. Beye said that he had been informed of the matter by the United States authorities that were

in contact with the Angolan Government and with UNITA. He had no further information.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Beye said that the Security Council in March would consider the configuration of the future United Nations presence in Angola following the establishment of a Government of National Unity and Reconciliation. For the time being, the Council was dealing with the ways and means to end the mandate of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III).

Highlighting some of the issues raised in the Council debate on Thursday, 27 February, on Angola and the adoption of resolution 1098 (1997), he said it had been strongly asserted that significant progress had been made during the UNAVEM III presence in the past two years. As an example, he said that the war was practically over. A thousand deaths a day were no longer occurring. Another step forward was the process of the formation of a unified national army, which was yet to be completed. On 20 December 1996, nine UNITA generals had been incorporated into the national army, which now even had a former UNITA general as its deputy commander. That was "very symbolic" and "clearly a step forward".

The Security Council had noted forcefully and with regret that there were still some unresolved crucial tasks which should have been completed by the end of the UNAVEM III mandate in February, he said. Those tasks included the formation of the unified army. The selection of some 26,000 UNITA soldiers should have been completed; some 19,000 of them had been selected, but only 6,000 had actually been incorporated into the army. "That is not sufficient", he said.

The Government of National Unity and Reconciliation should have been inaugurated on 25 January, but "due to various pretexts which the Council had not endorsed", that had not been achieved, Mr. Beye said. The Security Council had taken the view that the conditions for doing so were there for UNITA representatives to assume their functions. The list of UNITA officials proposed for ministerial appointments had been accepted by the President of Angola. All that they needed to do was to travel to Luanda to assume their functions. He noted that some had arrived there by 12 February -- a date proposed by UNITA itself -- but because of the absence of the rest, the Government of National Unity and Reconciliation could not be formed. It was now a matter of simply completing the process, he added.

Mr. Beye said the Security Council had reminded Angolans that the resolution of the crisis in their country was primarily their own responsibility. They had the obligation to show results. The international community could not achieve peace for them, and they themselves should make the efforts to arrive at a definitive peace. Another message for the Angolans was to fulfil the commitments they themselves had freely assumed. The UNAVEM was in Angola at the expressed desire of the Angolans, and its presence was on

Angola Press Briefing - 3 - 3 March 1997

a partnership basis. Each side had its own role to play, and obligations assumed must be fulfilled.

Mr. Beye said the international community had been spending $1 million a day for the past two years in Angola, and that could not continue for much longer. It was an important contribution to help Angolans out of 20 years of war. "The Angolan people must continue to deserve that effort. If perchance the Angolans make us feel that they no longer need that support, the international community would draw its own conclusions."

Mr. Beye said his mission now was to explain to the parties their obligations and to tell them what the international community was prepared to do, should tangible progress be made in the next few months.

He said that several key aspects of the Lusaka Protocol should be concluded soon, such as the issue of the status of UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi; the return of the UNITA deputies to the National Assembly; the formation of the Government of National Unity and Reconciliation; the restoration of the authority of the central Government throughout the territory; and the status of the "Vorgan" radio station. He noted that progress had been made on all those issues. The text of a document on the status of Mr. Savimbi was close to being finalized. It was now certain that Mr. Savimbi would have the role of the leader of the largest opposition party. Mr. Savimbi had accepted that position, although some protocol issues, such as the rank he would hold in public ceremonies, remained to be resolved.

He also said that UNITA had requested further discussions before the completion of the formation of a Government of National Unity and Reconciliation. The UNITA had published its proposals for the draft programme for the future government, and the current Government had yesterday also presented its own proposals on the matter, Mr. Beye added.

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