S/PV.3350 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Angola, in which he requests to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council’s agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite that representative to participate in the discussion without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM II), documents S/1994/282 and Addendum 1. Members of the Council also have before them document S/1994/298, which contains the text of a draft resolution prepared in the course of the Council’s prior consultations. I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/1994/263, which contains the text of a letter dated 2 March 1994 from the representatives of Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and Sao Tome and Principe to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General. The first speaker is the representative of Angola, on whom I now call.

I thank the representative of Angola for the kind words he addressed to me. It is my understanding that the Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. Unless I hear any objection, I shall put the draft resolution to the vote. There being no objection, it is so decided. I shall first call on those members of the Council who wish to make statements before the voting.

My delegation was most happy, Sir, to see you assume the presidency of the Council for this month. Your experience and diplomatic skill, and your country’s unswerving commitment to the promotion of international peace and security, guarantee the success of the Council’s work under your wise leadership. I want also to express our sincere congratulations and well deserved tribute to Ambassador Olhaye of Djibouti for the remarkable and admirable way in which he guided the work of the Council last month. It is vital to do everything to ensure that the ongoing process leads to a comprehensive peace agreement; this requires a complete cessation of hostilities to create a climate of trust that can give rise to the decisive impetus needed to overcome all the obstacles. Apart from the will of the parties to end the hostilities and show the utmost restraint, improving the military situation on the ground also requires that the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM II) be able to monitor the situation. In view of its limited numbers, we believe that current requirements justify not only renewing the mandate of UNAVEM II but also expanding it, increasing its strengthen, as the Secretary-General has indicated, to the previous level. Strengthen UNAVEM II at this stage would also be likely to improve the delivery of emergency humanitarian assistance. Our concern for the success of the peace process prompts us to congratulate the Secretary-General on the preparations and urgent planning activities he has undertaken to establish an appropriate United Nations presence in Angola once an overall peace settlement has been concluded. My delegation believes that any lasting solution to the Angolan conflict requires the implementation of the peace agreements already signed and the honouring of the results of the free elections held on 30 September 1992 under United Nations auspices. It is within that well-defined political framework that the Lusaka talks should be viewed. The talks must lead to a comprehensive peace settlement aimed at national reconciliation, which is indispensable for the reconstruction of Angola, a brotherly country that has been destroyed by a deadly war that has lasted far too long. Progress in the current negotiations and a breakthrough in the peace process under way depend, however, on the commitment and good will of the parties. Any failure in The message sent by the Council at this stage seems to us an appropriate one, and my delegation will vote in favour of the draft resolution.

I thank the representative of Rwanda for his kind words addressed to me.

My delegation commends the Secretary-General’s report. We also wish to commend the tireless efforts of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Angola, Mr. Blondin Beye; the representatives of the three Observer States - the United States, the Russian Federation and Portugal; and the Governments of some of the neighbouring States, in particular Zimbabwe and Zambia, for their important support for the peace process. We also thank members of the international community, including private and non-governmental organizations, whose assistance has been especially critical in coping with the vast humanitarian and relief needs of the people of Angola. We are delighted that the parties in Angola adopted a mediation document on the general principles of national reconciliation on 17 February. We are pleased, too, that despite existing difficulties, both the Government and UNITA have sustained their participation in the Lusaka talks aimed at working out an overall political settlement of the protracted Angolan dispute. In spite of these positive indications, however, my delegation remains deeply concerned on the political front that several issues critical to the peace process - such as the allocation of high-level posts to UNITA, the conclusion of the electoral process and the establishment of a national administration throughout the country, and, perhaps not least, the building of confidence, trust and good faith between the parties - have not yet been resolved. On the military side, too, despite the relative reduction in combat incidents lately, the situation continues to be most worrisome and, to use the term in the Secretary-General’s report, "volatile". Air and ground military activities have Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation continues to be undermined by the continuation of war and the deliberate obstacles sometimes put in the way of relief workers by one party or the other. Relief stocks available for distribution are being depleted in some cases, and the need for their replenishment is urgent. The humanitarian needs of the Angolans must be watched very closely to ensure that the agony inflicted on the people by the ravages of war are not exacerbated through deliberate obstructionist activities of the parties in conflict. In this connection, we support the condemnation of all actions that threaten the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance and put at risk the lives of humanitarian relief workers in Angola. We therefore join in the appeal to members of the international community to respond generously to the 1994 revised inter-agency appeal for Angola. Nigeria believes that the draft resolution is a positive step on the part of the international community to nudge the peace process forward in Angola. We strongly believe that, while the people of Angola must bear the ultimate responsibility for the destiny of their country, the international community has a responsibility to support and encourage them towards the realization of that goal sooner rather than later. It is therefore appropriate to extend the mandate of UNAVEM II, including a readiness in principle to authorize the deployment of additional personnel as soon as agreement is reached between the parties to the conflict. Finally, my delegation would like to join in urging both the Government of Angola and UNITA to take the maximum advantage of the opportunity created by their common agreement on the revised text of general principles concerning the question of national reconciliation. We believe that, given the political will and the sustained We are all eager to see the good people of Angola resume normal life after nearly two decades of fruitless and destructive war. We are anxious, as a country which has close historical and fraternal ties with Angola, to see that country, like many other members of the international community, enjoy the relative peace and stability which are so essential to socio-political and economic development. My delegation therefore supports the draft resolution and intends to vote in favour.

My delegation will vote in favour of the draft resolution because we strongly support the continued United Nations presence in Angola, as it contributes to the advancement of the peace process currently under negotiation. The extension of the mandate of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM II) to the end of May reflects the international community’s endorsement of the ongoing process and its commitment to continue supporting efforts finally to bring peace to that sister nation, to which we Brazilians feel very attached. This draft resolution places the necessary emphasis on enhancing the chances of making the political settlement an expeditious and successful process. It also seeks to point the way towards a future of peace for this war-torn country, a future based on the recognition that it is the Angolans - the people, the parties and their leadership - who bear the ultimate responsibility for creating the political basis for a viable national reconciliation. My delegation was very actively involved in the deliberations that resulted in the text of the draft resolution. The Council conducted a thorough and careful review of the relevant aspects of the situation in Angola. It benefited from an informative and thoughtful report presented by the Secretary-General, for which we are grateful. I should also like to take this opportunity to express our satisfaction at the very commendable efforts undertaken by the Secretary-General himself and by his Special Representative, Mr. Alioune Blondin Beye, in order to I wish to express gratitude to the Government of Zambia also for supporting and hosting those talks. I should like to stress the appreciation of my Government for the role played by the African countries, particularly those in the sub-region, in promoting the Angolan peace process. My delegation would also like to thank the Permanent Representative of Angola, Ambassador Afonso van Dunem "Mbinda", for his statement, which underlines the need for this Council to take directly into account the views of the Government concerned. We are very grateful to him. The current assessment of the situation in Angola has certain positive aspects. There has been an improvement in the delivery of much-needed humanitarian assistance, and although the military situation remains volatile, the intensity of hostilities has generally diminished. The peace talks continue to take place in Lusaka. We recognize and welcome the progress achieved to date, but we are deeply concerned that negotiations appear again to begin to defy the logic of peace and to go against the will of the international community on account of the persistent delays in their successful completion. My Government has consistently maintained that good faith and political will are indispensable prerequisites for true negotiations. We earnestly hope that it will be possible to keep the Lusaka talks on track and to reach soon a satisfactory conclusion. This morning we received a copy of the letter Mr. José Eduardo Dos Santos, President of the Republic of Angola, sent to the Secretary-General on 15 March last. We note once again the firm commitment of the Government of Angola to the quest for peace and to the implementation of the resolutions of the Security Council. This reinforces our conviction that Luanda is unequivocally engaged in the process that will ultimately lead to a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Angola. In this connection, we continue to encourage the Secretary-General to proceed with the necessary contingency planning and to make his recommendations to the Council as soon as the peace process reaches its final stages. We support an adequate and continuing United Nations presence to foster peace in Angola. The prompt and successful conclusion of the Lusaka talks will represent the beginning of a process of

Sir, at the outset I wish to congratulate you most warmly on your assumption of the presidency of the Council for this month. I have no doubt that your consummate diplomatic skills, vast experience and, of course, your congeniality, will serve the Council well during your stewardship. My delegation welcomes the customary high-level update of the Secretary-General on the persistently conflicting patterns in Angola, which the draft resolution before us attempts to address. While peace talks continue in Lusaka with some discernible progress, on the ground in Angola fighting continues, and often intensifies, in no less than nine provinces. As the Secretary-General’s report of 9 March 1994 notes, the suspended Lusaka talks, which resumed a few months ago, were welcomed with a sense of optimism. Unfortunately, the delay in achieving a political settlement is providing a cover under which military hostilities continue in an attempt to strengthen negotiating positions by way of the battlefield. That the fighting is so widespread is discouraging, to say the least, and the ramifications of that fact are even more so. Primary among these is the impact on the delivery of desperately-needed humanitarian aid. Although this has improved overall in selected enclaves, cities and provinces, there are again early indications of mounting emergencies, particularly in such cities as Kuito/Bié, Huambo and Malange, where fighting has severely hampered the delivery of aid. It goes without saying, of course, that this continuation and intensification of fighting has caused more casualties and suffering among the civilian population. As the Secretary-General’s report also notes, the sheer breadth of the hostilities has overwhelmed the manpower and resources of UNAVEM II. With only 50 Military Observers, 18 police officers and 11 military medical personnel, there are clearly limits to what the United Nations can do. This does not bode well. My delegation is also mindful of the fact that, since resolution 864 (1993) of 15 September 1993 comes under Overall, my delegation notes the continued optimism of the Secretary-General for a negotiated settlement, which would consequently hold implications for us. Should his optimism be justified, he is clearly correct in maintaining that the United Nations must be prepared to act immediately by deploying cease-fire monitors so as to avoid a situation similar to that of Mozambique, where a potentially dangerous period of time elapsed prior to the arrival on the scene of the mandated United Nations observer force. Moreover, in view of the relatively small number of personnel requested, namely, the restoration of UNAVEM to its previous level of 350 military and 126 police observers, we concur with the Secretary-General’s request. This number could be raised in the period following the peace agreement as the situation warrants. At this point in the process, perhaps the most urgent step the Council can take is to stress once again the need for both parties to move with all deliberate speed towards reaching an agreement consistent with the "Acordos de Paz". The continued destruction of the country, the loss of life, the strains imposed on its neighbours, the limitations on the patience and goodwill of the international community and their own future viability are all urgent reasons to hasten this process. According to the Secretary-General’s report, the intensity of hostilities has generally diminished in recent weeks. This may provide an opening we cannot afford to let close again.

I thank the representative of Djibouti for his kind words addressed to me. I now put to the vote the draft resolution contained in document S/1994/298.

The draft resolution received 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 903 (1994). I shall now call on those members of the Council who wish to make statements following the voting.

The United States believes that there is nothing more important in Angola than reaching peace. No other objective, no hope for military or political gain, can take precedence over reaching a lasting settlement to Angola’s brutal civil war. We have worked closely in Lusaka with the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and our Troika partners, Russia and Portugal, to advance the peace process to the point where an accord is clearly within reach. Now is the moment of opportunity. The parties should choose a political solution, because it is clear from years of killing that there can be no military answer. This has been a war with countless victims, but no victors. The peace process now under way in Lusaka offers the Government and UNITA the chance to start a new chapter in the life of their country, to begin the process of reconstruction, reconciliation and re-orientation towards democracy. But that chance will not last forever. The United States Government does not accept current efforts to delay essential decisions. As this resolution clearly demonstrates, the United States is prepared to join the international community to assist in the implementation of a peace accord. To reach an accord, however, Angolans must first demonstrate political will. They will need to demonstrate flexibility in Lusaka and the courage to make peace a reality. It is the earnest hope of the United States that they do so now. Sir David Hannay (United Kingdom): The resolution which we have just adopted reflects the strong desire of all members of the Council that the negotiations in Lusaka for a comprehensive political settlement in Angola, the establishment of an effective and sustainable cease-fire, and an end to the terrible suffering of the Angolan people be brought to an early and successful conclusion. It is not for the international community to try, on its own, to define the details of a settlement between the Government of Angola and UNITA. The settlement must be determined by Angolans, with the assistance of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. That is the only way to achieve a settlement which will be viable in the long term. We do, however, expect any settlement to be based firmly on the Bicesse Accords and to reflect broadly the political reality that in the 1992 legislative elections the MPLA won an overall majority with 54 per cent of the vote and that UNITA secured 34 per cent of the vote. We welcome the readiness of the Government of Angola to agree to UNITA’s participation in government. The key point is that any agreement must be comprehensive and viable. The need for time to achieve this should not be used as an excuse to prolong the Lusaka talks unreasonably. The resolution that the Council has just adopted makes it very clear that members of the Council expect the parties to redouble their efforts to achieve an early solution. My Government is gravely concerned at the resumption of fighting in Angola since early February. A twin-track approach of negotiating while continuing to engage in offensive military actions is not acceptable. Both parties must heed the Council’s demand that they stop, immediately, all offensive military action. We now look to both parties to fulfil their commitment to a peaceful settlement in Angola. UNITA in particular must be aware of the Council’s willingness to envisage further measures if it does not cooperate fully with the negotiating process. The Council has declared its readiness to consider the expansion of UNAVEM to its previously mandated level if an agreement is reached and the conditions for the deployment of these additional personnel are judged right. But the parties should also be aware that the international community’s patience, and its funds, are not limitless. The resolution adopted today reflects the great importance that the Security Council attaches to achieving an end to all military actions and an effective and lasting cease-fire. This is all the more important now that the negotiating process is in its decisive final phase and, as the Secretary-General emphasizes in his report, the negotiations "... are proceeding towards the conclusion of a comprehensive peace agreement". (S/1994/282, para. 31) In this connection, the Russian delegation expresses its satisfaction that the Angolan Government, in a letter dated 15 March from the President of the Republic of Angola, Mr. Eduardo Dos Santos, to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, has confirmed its readiness to do everything possible to restore peace. Nevertheless, the latest news from the Lusaka talks is not reassuring. We are greatly concerned that the UNITA delegation to the talks is once again showing inflexibility on extremely important issues. We consider it inadmissible that UNITA should continue to pursue this kind of obstructionist tactic. The UNITA leadership must take very seriously indeed the Council’s readiness, as expressed in the resolution it adopted today, to consider at any time further steps to impose additional measures against UNITA. Given the crucial and complex nature of the present stage of the negotiations, we believe it important for the Secretary-General to submit to the Security Council, during the first few days of next month, a report on the progress of the Lusaka talks so that the Council might take timely action in keeping with the existing situation and, in case UNITA should delay the negotiations, adopt additional sanctions against it. We are convinced that, despite all the difficulties, the parties must not only continue but expedite their negotiations, without interruption or delay and, above all, with no attempts to strengthen their negotiating positions through the use of force.

My delegation has carefully studied the Secretary-General’s report of 9 March and has also followed with interest the latest news provided to members by the Secretariat on the advances made and also the difficulties encountered in the talks between the Government of Angola and UNITA in Lusaka, under United Nations auspices and with the valuable cooperation of the three observer States and of neighbouring countries. Spain welcomes the Security Council’s adoption of resolution 903 (1994) extending the mandate of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM II) until 31 May 1994 and declaring the Council’s readiness to authorize an increase in the strength of UNAVEM II to its previous level once the Secretary-General has reported that the parties have reached an agreement and that the conditions are ripe for deployment. In so doing, the Council is reaffirming the international community’s commitment towards Angola while stressing the need for the Lusaka talks between the Angolan Government and UNITA to be speeded up so that they can come to a prompt and positive conclusion. While we should note the progress made in Lusaka since 15 November last - notably, on general and specific principles concerning military and police matters, and on general principles for national reconciliation - it is none the less true that we do not yet have an overall agreement that would enable us to restart the Angolan peace process effectively. We hope that, in the next few days or weeks, the Security Council will be able to consider this issue again in the light of a definitive agreement, to be reached by the parties within the framework of the "Acordos de Paz" and of the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. On previous occasions Spain has issued appeals for moderation and flexibility by the parties to resolve a conflict that has lasted all too long. Today more than ever, we reiterate that appeal: the parties, and above all UNITA, should abandon their maximalist positions and find common ground for the sake of the future of Angola and the well- being of its population. The patience of the international community with regard to the extension of the talks in Lusaka is being put to the test. The resumption and intensification of hostilities throughout a large part of Angola’s territory, as described in the report of the Secretary-General, is a very disturbing factor that cannot be viewed as an isolated event. The hostilities should cease as soon as possible, given their implications for the work of the United Nations in the field and their negative consequences upon the civilian population and the supply of humanitarian aid. The present situation in Angola makes it necessary to stress, as we have been doing with other peace-keeping operations, that the peacemaking work of the United Nations depends, in the final analysis, on the cooperation and will of the parties. My country trusts that the Angolan parties will show that will by taking concrete actions that will soon enable the Security Council to reaffirm its renewed and future commitment towards Angola.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as representative of France. This success in due in large measure to the decisive action of the Special Representative of the Secretary- General, Mr. Blondin Beye. My Government takes this opportunity to praise his work. My country also expresses the wish that the talks, which have reached a crucial point, will rapidly be concluded, thus enabling Angola to return to peace and stability. By voting for this resolution, France wishes once again to support the current negotiations. However, it considers that the fate of Angola is in the hands of the Angolans, who must prove that they are firmly decided to put an end to almost 20 years of conflict. By this resolution, the Security Council is affirming that it is ready to participate once again in the building of peace in Angola. It must be made clear, however, that this does not mean that the international community will endlessly support Angola if the efforts made so far do not lead to the national reconciliation of all the Angolans. I now resume my functions as President of the Security Council. There being no further speakers, the Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.