SECURITY COUNCIL ENDORSES GRADUAL DOWNSIZING OF MILITARY COMPONENT OF ANGOLA OBSERVER MISSION, INCREASES POLICE OBSERVERS

20 March 1998

Press Release
SC/6489

SECURITY COUNCIL ENDORSES GRADUAL DOWNSIZING OF MILITARY COMPONENT OF ANGOLA OBSERVER MISSION, INCREASES POLICE OBSERVERS

19980320 Resolution 1157 (1998), Adopted Unanimously, Also Condemns UNITA Attacks on Mission Personnel

The Security Council this morning endorsed the Secretary-General's recommendation to resume the gradual downsizing of the military component of the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA) before 30 April, to be completed no later than 1 July. At the same time, it decided to increase gradually, as needed, the number of police observers by up to 83 persons. It took that action by its unanimous adoption of resolution 1157 (1998).

The increased police presence, above the 345 personnel already authorized, will assist the Government of Angola and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) to resolve disputes during the normalization of State administration, identify and investigate allegations of abuse and facilitate the training of the Angolan National Police according to internationally accepted standards.

The Council also strongly condemned attacks by the members of UNITA on MONUA personnel and on Angolan national authorities. It demanded that UNITA immediately stop such attacks, cooperate fully with the Mission, and guarantee unconditionally its safety and freedom of movement and that of other internal personnel. It called upon all Member States to implement fully and without delay the measures specified in paragraph 4 of resolution 1127 (1997).

By the terms of that text, adopted on 28 August 1997, the Council imposed travel restrictions upon senior UNITA officials and adult members of their families. It also prohibited the flight of aircraft by or for UNITA and the supply of aircraft or their components to UNITA. States were required to deny access to their territories by any aircraft departing from or going to a place not included on a list to be supplied by the Angolan Government.

By today's action, the Council reiterated its request that Member States having information on such flights and other actions prohibited under resolution 1127 to provide it to the sanctions monitoring Committee established under resolution 864 (1993). It also endorsed the planned visit by that body's Chairman to Angola and other interested countries to discuss

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the full implementation of resolution 1127, with a view to urging compliance by UNITA with its obligations under the Lusaka Protocol and relevant Council resolutions.

Stressing the urgent need for the Government of National Unity and Reconciliation and in particular UNITA to complete the implementation of all remaining obligations under those texts and under the "Acordos de Paz", it demanded that UNITA stop its pattern of delays and linkages.

The Council called on both parties, and particularly UNITA, to complete immediately their obligations in the demobilization of all remaining military elements of UNITA, the normalization of State administration throughout the national territory, the transformation of Radio Vorgan into a non-partisan broadcasting facility, and the disarmament of the civilian population. It urged them to cooperate fully with the National Institute for the Removal of Unexploded Ordnance and provide information on minefields, and urged the international community to continue providing assistance to the demining programme.

The Council also called upon the Government to continue to give priority to peaceful actions that contributed to the successful conclusion of the peace process and to refrain from any action, including excessive use of force, which might undermine the process of normalization of State administration or lead to renewed hostilities. Reiterating its belief that a meeting between the President of Angola and the leader of UNITA could accelerate the process of peace and national reconciliation, the Council urged the UNITA leadership to move to Luanda, as agreed upon in the Protocol.

By the terms of the text, the Council asked the Secretary-General to report by 17 April on violations by UNITA and certain Member States of the provisions of resolution 1127. It also reaffirmed its readiness to review the measures specified in that text or to consider the imposition of such additional measures mentioned in that resolution as trade and financial restrictions, if UNITA does not fully comply with its obligations.

The Secretary-General was also asked to report by 17 April on the status on the implementation of the peace process, with final recommendations regarding the modalities of the United Nations presence in Angola after 30 April. Those recommendations would include the exit strategy and expected termination date of MONUA, and follow-up activities by the United Nations after its termination to consolidate peace and assist in Angola's social and economic recovery.

He was also asked to keep the modus operandi of the civilian police component under review and to report by 17 April on whether its tasks could be performed on the basis of a more limited increase in the number of personnel or with a reconfiguration of existing personnel.

The meeting, which was called to order at 10:32 a.m., adjourned at 10:37 a.m.

Text of Resolution

The text of resolution 1157 (1998) reads as follows:

"The Security Council,

"Reaffirming its resolution 696 (1991) of 30 May 1991 and all subsequent relevant resolutions,

"Expressing its firm commitment to preserve the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Angola,

"Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 13 March 1998 (S/1998/236),

"Deploring the failure by the Uniao para a Independência Total de Angola (UNITA) to complete the implementation of the remaining tasks of the Lusaka Protocol (S/1994/1441), annex) according to the timetable approved by the Joint Commission on 9 January 1998 (S/1998/56),

"Taking note of the declaration by UNITA on the complete demilitarization of its forces as of 6 March 1998 (S/1998/236, paragraph 5) and of the declaration by the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation (GURN) on 11 March 1998 legalizing the status of UNITA as a political party (S/1998/236, paragraph 5),

"1. Stresses the urgent need for the GURN and in particular UNITA to complete immediately and without conditions the implementation of all remaining obligations under the "Acordos de Paz" (S/22609, annex), the Lusaka Protocol, and relevant Security Council resolutions, and demands that UNITA stops its pattern of delays and linkages;

"2. Calls on the GURN and in particular UNITA to complete immediately their obligations in the areas of demobilization of all remaining military elements of UNITA, normalization of State administration throughout the national territory, transformation of Radio Vorgan into a non-partisan broadcasting facility as well as disarmament of the civilian population;

"3. Endorses the planned visit by the Chairman of the Committee created pursuant to resolution 864 (1993) to Angola and other interested countries to discuss the full and effective implementation of the measures specified in paragraph 4 of resolution 1127 (1997) with a view to urging compliance by UNITA with its obligations under the Lusaka Protocol and relevant Security Council resolution resolutions;

"4. Calls upon all Member States to implement fully and without delay the measures specified in paragraph 4 of resolution 1127 (1997), reiterates its request that Member States having information on flights and other actions prohibited in paragraph 4 of resolution 1127 (1997) provide this information to the Committee created pursuant to resolution 864 (1993), and requests the Secretary-General to report on these violations by UNITA and certain Member States in the report referred to in paragraph 8 below;

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"5. Reaffirms its readiness to review the measures specified in paragraph 4 of resolution 1127 (1997) or to consider the imposition of additional measures in accordance with paragraphs 8 and 9 of resolution 1127 (1997);

"6. Endorses the recommendation of the Secretary-General to resume the gradual downsizing of the military component of the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA) before 30 April 1988, with the understanding that the withdrawal of all formed military units, with the exception of one infantry company, the helicopter unit and the signals and medical support units, will be completed as soon as conditions on the ground permit, but no later than 1 July 1998;

"7. Decides to increase gradually and as needed the number of civilian police observers, giving special emphasis to their language qualifications, by up to 83, to assist the GURN and UNITA to resolve disputes during the normalization of State administration, identify and investigate allegations of abuse, and facilitate the training of the Angolan National Police according to internationally accepted standards, and requests the Secretary-General to keep the modus operandi of the civilian police component under review and to report by 17 April 1998 on whether its tasks can be performed on the basis of a more limited increase in the number of personnel or with a reconfiguration of existing personnel;

"8. Takes note of the recommendations contained in section IX of the report of the Secretary-General of 13 March 1998, and requests the Secretary- General to report by 17 April 1998 on the status of the implementation of the peace process, with final recommendations regarding the modalities of the United Nations presence in Angola after 30 April 1998, including the exit strategy and expected termination date of MONUA and the follow-on activities by the United Nations, after the termination of MONUA, to consolidate the peace process and assist in the social and economic recovery of Angola;

"9. Strongly condemns the attacks by members of UNITA on MONUA personnel and on Angolan national authorities, and demands that UNITA immediately stop such attacks, cooperate fully with MONUA and guarantee unconditionally the safety and freedom of movement of MONUA and other international personnel;

"10. Calls on the GURN to continue to give priority to peaceful actions that contribute to the successful conclusion of the peace process and to refrain from any action, including the excessive use of force, which might undermine the process of normalization of State administration or lead to renewed hostilities;

"11. Stresses the importance of strengthening the rule of law, including the full protection of all Angolan citizens throughout the national

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territory;

"12. Urges the GURN and in particular UNITA to cooperate fully with the National Institute for the Removal of Unexploded Ordnance and provide information on minefields, and urges also the international community to continue to provide assistance to the demining programme;

"13. Reiterates its belief that a meeting between the President of the Republic of Angola and the leader of UNITA cold accelerate the process of peace and national reconciliation, and urges the UNITA leadership to move to Luanda, as agreed upon in the Lusaka Protocol;

"14. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General, his Special Representative, and the personnel of MONUA for assisting the Government of Angola and UNITA to implement the peace process;

"15. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter."

Secretary-General's Report

In considering the situation in Angola, the Council had before it a report of the Secretary-General (document S/1998/236), in which he states that the United Nations presence in Angola is still needed and proposes a reconfiguration of the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA), subject to security conditions on the ground and the concurrence of the Council.

The Secretary-General states that the Council may wish to consider the deployment of up to 83 additional police observers, above the current authorized strength of 345 civilian police officers. That would enable MONUA to strengthen selected team sites to increase the number of daily patrols and ensure timeliness and effectiveness of United Nations verification and investigation.

The total number of United Nations civilian police locations would be increased from 46 to 51 and additional sites would be opened in Malange, Uige, Cuanza Sul and Moxico provinces. The establishment of these new team sites would help monitor the areas where normalization of State administration has recently taken place and which have a strategic significance for the parties. The revised deployment plan would also allow the United Nations civilian police monitors access to most municipalities in the country.

The modus operandi of the civilian police would be kept under constant review, to determine whether its tasks could be performed with a more limited increase in personnel, the report states. The composition of the new

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component, which would have a pivotal role in the consolidation of peace in the country, would be enhanced with an increase in the number of Portuguese and Spanish-speaking officers.

Depending on the situation on the ground, and progress in the implementation on residual tasks, the gradual reduction of MONUA's military component would resume by the end of April. The withdrawal of all formed units would be completed by July, with the exception of one infantry company, the helicopter unit and the signals and medical support units. However, if there is significant progress in the implementation process before that time, the military task force could be repatriated earlier.

The current 90 military observers should be retained at least through September/October to complete such residual tasks as the monitoring of the discovery of arms caches and the verification of cease-fire violations.

It is obvious that completion of the peace process is contingent on the full and unconditional demilitarization of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), especially absentees and residual troops, the report states. Unregistered armed elements continue to be reported in some provinces, which did not enhance mutual trust or improve the prospects for national reconciliation. Equally, the Government of National Unity and Reconciliation should show restraint and give priority to peaceful actions that contribute to the successful conclusion of the peace process. The Secretary-General appeals for the early resumption of the disarmament of the civilian population throughout the country.

The Secretary-General deplores recent UNITA attacks on United Nations personnel in several areas of Angola, stating that UNITA should unconditionally guarantee the safety and security of all international staff. He reiterates his strong appeal to the international community to continue its assistance to Angola and, in particular, to respond generously to the 1998 consolidated inter-agency appeal for humanitarian assistance to Angola. The appeal, requesting a total of $91,200,143 was launched in Luanda on 13 February.

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