SECURITY COUNCIL, CONCERNED BY DELAYS IN ANGOLA, EXPRESSES FULL SUPPORT FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL'S MISSION

21 March 1997

Press Release
SC/6344

SECURITY COUNCIL, CONCERNED BY DELAYS IN ANGOLA, EXPRESSES FULL SUPPORT FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL'S MISSION

19970321 Secretary-General to Visit 22-25 March; Presidential Statement States Further Delays Could Result in Sanctions

The Security Council this afternoon expressed full support for Secretary-General Kofi Annan's mission to assess the situation in Angola and to impress upon the Angolan parties the need to establish the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation without further delay. Mr. Annan will visit Angola from 22 to 25 March.

In a statement read by President Zbigniew Wlosowicz (Poland), the Council called upon the parties, particularly the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), to use the occasion of Mr. Annan's visit to install the new government and cooperate fully with Secretary-General Annan, his Special Representative, Alioune Blondin Beye, and the Observer States (Portugal, Russian Federation, United States).

Expressing deep concern that the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation had not been formed, due mainly to UNITA's failure to send all of its officials to Luanda as previously agreed, the Council said it would consider imposing, among other things, trade and travel restrictions against the party responsible for the failure to form the new government.

The Council added that, following the Secretary-General's next report on Angola, it would consider the United Nations role in that country after the expiration of the mandate of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III) on 31 March, on the basis of progress made in implementing commitments under the 1991 "Acordos de Paz" and the 1994 Lusaka Protocol.

The UNAVEM III was set up in 1995 to help the Angolan parties restore peace and achieve national reconciliation based on the "Acordos de Paz" and the Lusaka Protocol. Its mandate includes: mediation to the parties; monitoring and verifying the extension of State administration throughout Angola and national reconciliation; and verifying the disengagement of forces.

In his report on UNAVEM III (document S/1997/239), the Secretary-General states that repeated delays in forming the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation, owing primarily to the failure of UNITA to send all its

Security Council - 2 - Press Release SC/6344 3755th Meeting (PM) 21 March 1997

officials to Luanda, is having a negative impact on the implementation of major aspects of the peace process. He cites, in particular, such aspects as the normalization of State administration throughout Angola and the demobilization of excess UNITA personnel, who continue to be cantoned in selection and demobilization centres.

"I realize that the patience of the international community is wearing thin", the Secretary-General states. Consequently, during his visit to Angola he will make a first-hand assessment of the situation and impress on the parties the need to establish the new government without further delay. He also intends to consult with his Special Representative, the Observer States (Portugal, Russian Federation, United States) and other concerned governments on ways of injecting new vigour into the peace process.

The meeting, called to order at 3:44 p.m., was adjourned at 3:47 p.m.

Presidential Statement

The full text of the presidential statement, to be issued as document S/PRST/1997/17, reads as follows:

"The Security Council takes note of the report of the Secretary-General of 19 March 1997 (S/1997/239) and once again expresses its deep concern that the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation (GURN) has not yet been established, owing primarily to the failure of the Uniao Nacional para a Independencia Total de Angola (UNITA) to send all of its officials to Luanda as previously agreed. The Council reminds UNITA of its obligations in accordance with the provisions of the Lusaka Protocol (S/1994/1441, annex) and subsequent agreements between the two parties.

"The Security Council expresses its full support for the Secretary- General in his mission to Angola to assess the situation and impress upon the parties the need to establish the GURN without any further delay. It calls upon the parties, in particular UNITA, to cooperate fully with the Secretary- General, his Special Representative, and the Observer States and to use the occasion of the Secretary-General's visit to install the GURN.

"The Security Council remains actively seized of the matter and recalls that, in accordance with resolution 1098 (1997) of 27 February 1997, it will consider the imposition of measures, including inter alia, those specifically mentioned in paragraph 26 of resolution 864 (1993) of 15 September 1993, against the party responsible for the failure to form the GURN. The Council, following the next report of the Secretary-General, will also consider the role of the United Nations in Angola after the expiration of the current mandate of UNAVEM III on 31 March 1997 on the basis of the progress made by the parties to full implementation of their commitments under the 'Acordos de Paz' (S/22609, annex) and the Lusaka Protocol (S/1994/1441, annex) as well as their obligations under the relevant Security Council resolutions."

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