PRESS BRIEFING BY SECRETARY-GENERAL'S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR ANGOLA

Press Briefing

PRESS BRIEFING BY SECRETARY-GENERAL'S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR ANGOLA

The political situation in Angola was "fairly satisfactory" but the military situation in three of the provinces was "disturbing", Alioune Blondin Beye, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Angola, and Njuguna Mahugu, Chairman of the Angola Sanctions Committee, told correspondents at a Headquarters press briefing this afternoon.

Speaking shortly after briefing the Security Council this morning on the Angolan peace process and the presence of the United Nations beyond the current mandate of the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA), the two envoys said there was a striking gap between the fairly satisfactory political situation and the disturbing military condition in the central part of the country -- Malange, Huambo and Benguela. Fortunately that worrisome situation continued to be limited to those provinces.

On the future of the United Nations in Angola, they said the military component of MONUA would be withdrawn in July. The Mission would, however, keep on the ground some 440 troops, 90 observers and a small infantry unit of not more than 120 to 150 persons, which would be based in Luanda for the protection of the civilian staff. The military hospital, the transmission unit and the helicopter unit would continue to operate until the end of the Mission. The fact that the military component of the Mission would be withdrawn in July was an indication that peace had been established. Otherwise, the Council would not take that decision. The Mission would be shut down by the end of the year.

Asked about a possible meeting between President Eduardo dos Santos of Angola and the leader of National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), Jonas Savimbi, Mr. Beye said there had been four such meetings in Lusaka, Brussels, Franceville and Libreville. Apart from the meetings, the two men did speak on the telephone regularly and they sent delegations to each other. The two leaders were in touch. They were not obligated to meet. However, MONUA hoped they would meet soon to maintain the momentum that had been established.

A correspondent wanted to know if it was true that UNITA still maintained some rump force that could continue the fight should the peace process failed. Mr. Beye said the Lusaka Protocol had called for total demobilization of UNITA. The Mission would proceed with the systematic verification of effective demobilization of UNITA. A report was to be made to the Joint Commission on that. The Mission appealed to UNITA to cooperate so that verification could take place without any impediment. There should be transparency if there was nothing to hide. It was essential that verification be carried out so that everyone could feel at ease.

Another correspondent wanted to know about the general situation of arms flow into Angola. Mr. Mahugu said the number of flights into UNITA-controlled territory had decreased from over 180 in December to about 40 in January and

Beye Press Briefing - 2 - 22 April 1998

February. As arms came into the territory by air, it could be concluded that there had been quite a reduction. The extension of State administration continued throughout Angola and with time it would be much more difficult for arms to enter the territory.

Asked if all flights entering the territory carried arms, Mr. Mahugu said they constituted one of the means of arms flowing into the territory. The Sanctions Committee appealed to neighbouring countries to ensure stricter border control. Those countries had assured the Committee that they would strictly enforce the sanctions on UNITA.

A correspondent asked how many UNITA troops still under arms, Mr. Beye said it was difficult to say. The UNITA announced that it had no more combatants. The Observer Mission has asked for verification of effective demilitarization of UNITA. Monitors must be able to move throughout the country to verify its claims without any impediment. Verification has started and a report was being expected. Until that report was ready, one could not say with certainty how many UNITA troops were under arms.

Asked whether there had been significant changes regarding hostile propaganda radio broadcasting, Mr. Beye said UNITA was mandated under the Lusaka Protocol to get rid of its short wave station known as Radio VORGAN. That station was seen as part of the whole combat apparatus. The UNITA sympathizers could then set up some private FM stations. The Angolan Government had given the necessary authorization for that and UNITA had carried out the necessary technical studies. The director of the proposed FM station in Luanda, known as DESPERTAR, had visited Italy to order the required equipment. The station was expected to begin transmission in May. With Radio VORGAN closed, UNITA needed to have its voice heard through DESPERTAR.

Continuing, Mr. Beye said MONUA had asked the Angolan Government to grant UNITA access to such State organs as radio, television stations and print media. The Government was complying. President dos Santos had directed that UNITA be granted the same access enjoyed by all parties under Angolan law and as provided in the Lusaka Protocol. The Joint Commission would continue to insist on that. There could be no national reconciliation if people continued to broadcast hostile propaganda. The Angolan Government had been told that with the closure of UNITA's Radio VORGAN, it should tone down its own propaganda. That had been done. Regarding the stations in Malange and Benguela, MONUA had raised the matter at separate meetings with President dos Santos and Mr. Savimbi last weekend.

On the implementation of the peace process, Mr. Beye said 269 of the 335 areas had been returned to the Government by UNITA, which was 80 per cent. The remaining 20 per cent were remote areas not considered priorities by both the Government and UNITA. The two sides drew up a list of 12 places, of which eight had now been normalized. Normalization of four areas would take place in three phases: the political, technical and administrative. They were being carried out.

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