SECRETARY-GENERAL CONCLUDES THREE-DAY VISIT TO ANGOLA
Press Release
SG/T/2091*
SECRETARY-GENERAL CONCLUDES THREE-DAY VISIT TO ANGOLA
19970327 LUANDA, 25 March -- Following the conclusion of his official visit to South Africa on Saturday, 22 March, Secretary-General Kofi Annan departed for Angola with a stopover in Namibia.Upon his arrival in Windhoek, Namibia, the Secretary-General had a meeting with President Sam Nujoma. This was followed by another formal meeting with the President and the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and other members of the Namibian Government. That meeting was followed by a two-hour working lunch with the President.
From Windhoek the Secretary-General left for the Angolan capital of Luanda. At the airport he addressed the press expressing his hopes for a formation of a Government of National Unity and Reconciliation. That evening, Mr. and Mrs. Annan attended a reception hosted by the Prime Minister of Angola, França van Dunem.
On Sunday, the Secretary-General went to Kuito, in central Angola, where he addressed thousands of spectators awaiting his arrival. In his remarks, the Secretary-General paid tribute to them on behalf of the international community for the efforts they had made to reconstruct their lives and their city. Afterwards, he visited the Brazilian Battalion camp located in Kuito. After this short visit he returned to Luanda.
While in Luanda the Secretary-General attended a luncheon hosted by the Foreign Minister, Venancio de Moura. He then had a meeting with United Nations representatives and was then briefed by the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III) military and civilian police personnel.
The Secretary-General's programme ended on Sunday by attending an official reception hosted by his Special Representative, Alioune Blondin Beye, at the United Nations compound.
_----------_ * Reissued to correct the name of the Prime Minister of Angola in third paragraph.
- 2 - Press Release SG/T/2091 26 March 1997
On Monday, the Secretary-General met privately with rebel leader Jonas Savimbi at his headquarters in Bailundo, in central Angola. After the meeting he told reporters, "we have agreed that all the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) Deputies and Ministers will return to Luanda and sit in the National Assembly before my departure". He went on to thank Dr. Savimbi and the leaders of Angola for the courage they have shown and assured them that the international community would be there to assist and would do its part.
Addressing a crowd from a balcony, the Secretary-General went on to say, "Today we decided to take that final and difficult step ... towards the formation of the Government of National Unity and Reconciliation." Dr. Savimbi, standing next to him, commented, "We will consolidate peace, so that this peace is secured".
After the meeting with Dr. Savimbi, Secretary-General Annan was received by President José Eduardo dos Santos in Luanda after which he attended an extraordinary session of the Joint Commission held in Luanda. Addressing the session, he said that the objective of his visit was to provide new impetus to the search for peace in Angola.
Today, the Secretary-General addressed the Angolan National Assembly. (See Press Release SG/SM/6190 of 25 March). He took that opportunity to congratulate the members of the 12 political parties for the determination shown over the past four years in sustaining the life of the National Assembly "which is the heart of any multi-party democracy". The Secretary-General also commended the UNITA deputies who took up their seats in Parliament.
Before addressing the unified Angolan Parliament, the Secretary-General launched the United Nations Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Angola. He called upon the international community to continue to contribute generously throughout 1997 in support of efforts to consolidate peace in Angola after nearly two decades of civil conflict. (See Press Release SG/SM/6189 of 25 March.)
In the morning, the Secretary-General inspected a United Nations military parade that was given in his honour at UNAVEM III headquarters. Afterwards, he met with personnel of UNAVEM III and with other United Nations agencies in Angola.
At around 5 p.m. local time, the Secretary-General left Luanda for Lomé, Togo, after his three-day trip to Angola. While in Lomé he will attend the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Summit Conference.
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