S/PV.3969 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 themthe report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola, document S/1999/49. Following consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Security Council expresses its alarm at the serious deterioration in the political and military situation in Angola. It reaffirms its belief that lasting peace and national reconciliation cannot be achieved through military means, and urges the Government of Angola and especially the União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola (UNITA) to resume a constructive dialogue on the basis of the “Acordos de Paz” (S/22609, annex), the Lusaka Protocol (S/1994/1441, annex) and relevant Security Council “The Security Council shares the assessment and judgments of the Secretary-General on the political and military situation in Angola contained in his report of 17 January 1999 (S/1999/49). It underscores the contribution of the United Nations to the past four years of relative peace in Angola. It expresses its deep regret that the present political and security situation in the country and the lack of cooperation, especially by UNITA, with the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA) have prevented MONUA from fully carrying out its mandated role. “The Security Council underlines the great importance it attaches to a continued multidisciplinary presence of the United Nations under the direction of a Representative of the Secretary-General in Angola. It recognizes that such a continued presence depends on the safety of United Nations personnel and requires the agreement of the Government of Angola and the cooperation of all concerned. In this context, it appeals to the Government of Angola to provide such agreement and to UNITA to cooperate fully. It welcomes the intention of the Secretary-General to consult urgently with the Government of Angola on such a United Nations presence and to report to the Council in this regard. “The Security Council again calls upon Member States to support the peace process in Angola through full and immediate implementation of the measures against UNITA contained in resolutions 864 (1993) of 15 September 1993, 1127 (1997) of 28 August 1997 and 1173 (1998) of 12 June 1998, and reiterates its readiness to take steps to reinforce the implementation of these measures on the basis of the recommendations contained in section IV of the report of the Secretary-General of 17 January 1999. This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/1999/3. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council will remain seized of the matter.