Angola, 1998

Allow me to

begin by congratulating Mr. Didier Opertti, on behalf of

the Government of the Republic of Angola, on his

election to the presidency of the fifty-third session of the

General Assembly. We are convinced that his experience,

wisdom and diplomatic skills will help us to achieve the

goals we set for this new session.

Angola is especially pleased by the election of a

representative from Uruguay, a country that has greatly

contributed to the preservation of peace and security in

the world, as was recently demonstrated by its

participation in the United Nations peacekeeping operation

in Angola.

I should like to pay tribute to the outgoing President

for the manner in which he conducted the work of this

important body during his mandate. And a word of

appreciation goes also to the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi

Annan, for his dynamism and for the wisdom he has

demonstrated at the helm of our Organization.

Almost 10 years have passed since the end of the

East-West confrontation. We had hoped that by this time

there would have been a greater positive impact on the

international scene, especially regarding peace and

security, and economic development.

Unfortunately, in spite of the progress we have

made — particularly in the promotion of democratic

values and in the greater respect for human rights, among

others — we are still witnessing the proliferation of

internal armed conflicts, violent border disputes among

nations, military aggression against independent and

sovereign States, continued degradation of the

environment, and economic decline with the consequent

social and economic deterioration, especially in

developing countries. We are also witnessing an increase

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in transnational organized crime and terrorism, which poses

a serious threat to the stability of all nations.

This scenario casts a shadow over the prospects for

the rapid implementation of the new political world order

that emerged as a result of the end of the cold war, which

would bring peace, stability, development and democracy.

We still have a long way to go.

It is incumbent on the United Nations, given its

universal character and singular role in international

relations, to shoulder the main responsibility in the search

for solutions to all the problems that have become obstacles

to achieving peaceful development and the well-being of

our peoples, and in devising fair and effective formulas that

meet the collective interests of its Members.

The question of conflict resolution and prevention

should be given high priority, for this will ensure the

alleviation of tension in the world. The urgent creation of

early-warning mechanisms will certainly enable the

international community to act in a timely manner to

prevent the triggering of potential conflicts, thus avoiding

the repetition of past mistakes, such as those we have seen

recently in Africa.

In this connection, Angola shares the views of the

Secretary-General as expressed in the recommendations in

his report (A/52/871) on the prevention of conflict and the

promotion of sustainable development in Africa, and hopes

that the members of the Security Council will turn them

into practical action.

United Nations international arms control efforts

should not be restricted to weapons of mass destruction. We

must urgently focus on the issue of small arms and other

war matériel sold to terrorist groups by some producer

countries. These supplies have led to an increase in armed

actions by subversive groups and are an incentive to all

those who wish to take power by force. We believe that the

creation of special mechanisms for the control of small-

arms exports to armed groups, as well as the imposition of

restrictive measures against those States that violate them,

could help to stop the proliferation of weapons around the

world.

The United Nations, in cooperation with regional and

subregional organizations, should promote the creation of

collective defence and security mechanisms as a means to

prevent the threat of conflict and guarantee the territorial

integrity, independence and sovereignty of States.

The United Nations will not be able to face many of

its challenges unless it can count on the commitment and

engagement of its Member States. This is especially true

with respect to the resolution of its financial crisis and the

reform of its structures to conform to the new

international reality. We feel encouraged by the reforms

undertaken by the Secretary-General aimed at turning the

Organization into a more dynamic and effective body.

The reform process must be thorough and include the

United Nations main bodies, especially the Security

Council. The Council’s current structure is outdated.

Angola supports eliminating the current geographical

imbalance in the composition of the Security Council by

increasing the number of both permanent and non-

permanent members to ensure that the main regions of the

world are fairly represented.

The claim of the African continent to at least two

permanent seats should be adequately addressed, not only

because the region is not currently represented at all, but

also because it is the largest regional group in the United

Nations. Angola also supports the Brazilian claim to a

permanent seat given the exceptional role the country has

played in United Nations activities in all areas, and

especially because it belongs to a region that has no

permanent members in the Security Council.

The Republic of Angola is facing a difficult and

critical phase in its history. We cannot yet announce the

end of the war and the beginning of a new era of

consolidation of democracy in Angola. The peace process

and all related efforts made by both the Angolan

Government and the international community are blocked

due to UNITA’s deliberate, systematic non-compliance

with the provisions of the Lusaka Protocol, the pertinent

Security Council resolutions and Angolan law. Mr. Jonas

Savimbi has demonstrated his unwillingness to transform

UNITA into a civilian political party.

As Members are aware, the Lusaka Protocol, signed

by the Government and UNITA in 1994, should have led

to the end of the internal conflict, which was resumed by

UNITA after its defeat in the 1992 general elections. But,

four years since the agreement came into force the peace

process has yet to be concluded, and, what is even more

dangerous, it has suffered serious setbacks due to the

successive obstacles raised by UNITA’s militarist wing,

led by Mr. Savimbi. UNITA deliberately deceived the

United Nations and the international community when it

declared that it was totally demilitarized. As the Security

Council itself could determine, UNITA continues to

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maintain active military units with sophisticated weaponry.

UNITA has also hindered the process of normalization

of State administration by refusing to abandon the areas it

illegally occupies. At the same time, it has initiated a new

escalation of hostilities throughout the country, unleashing

armed attacks against local government authorities, the

national police and the national armed forces, while also

engaging in massacres of the civilian population. Hundreds

of people have been killed, mostly civilians; about a million

have been displaced; and UNITA has reoccupied areas

where State administration had already been normalized.

The United Nations Blue Helmet units and humanitarian

convoys have also been targets of UNITA’s military

actions, which constitute crimes against humanity, given

their nature and characteristics as well as the coldness and

cruelty with which they are committed. They are terrorist

crimes as defined by international human rights and

humanitarian law instruments. The international community

cannot passively watch these systematic abuses, which flout

international legal and moral values.

During the recent summit in Durban, South Africa, the

heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned

Movement condemned Jonas Savimbi for these systematic

human rights abuses. Similarly, the heads of State or

Government of the Southern African Development

Community (SADC) — well aware of the seriousness of

the Angolan situation, which has had terrible repercussions

for the whole region — held Mr. Savimbi solely

responsible for the current stalemate in the application of

the Lusaka Protocol. Due to Mr. Savimbi’s staunch pursuit

of war as the only means to attain political power, he is

continuing to reinforce his military wing’s capabilities. This

behaviour was declared by SADC to be that of a war

criminal. As has been done in some other regions of the

world, Mr. Savimbi and perhaps his closest collaborators —

who together are responsible for all the war crimes

committed in Angola — should be made to respond in

court for the heinous crimes they have committed over

many years.

Throughout the peace process, Jonas Savimbi’s stance

has revealed a personal strategy aimed at creating

generalized chaos in the country in order to take power by

force. The facts are clear: it does not make sense for

UNITA to resort to armed struggle against a State where

political activity is not restricted and where UNITA

participates in its main political institutions — namely, the

Government and Parliament. Furthermore, Angola’s armed

forces include hundreds of UNITA members, including

generals.

It is unacceptable to have a political organization

such as UNITA, which is not even subject to international

law, challenging each and everyone, including the

Security Council by blatantly and systematically violating

its resolutions. UNITA itself is being penalized because

of one man, Mr. Savimbi, who abuses the good faith of

his countrymen who believed in UNITA as a credible

political alternative in the emerging political system of the

fledgling Angolan democracy.

For all those reasons, the Security Council in

resolution 1127 (1997) tried to separate the wheat from

the chaff. In the course of imposing new sanctions against

UNITA, the Council issued a list of UNITA members

universally considered dangerous elements. This list is

headed by Mr. Savimbi, who is thereby forbidden to

freely circulate in the world. Only a criminal would

receive such a sanction from the international community.

Along those lines, the Angolan Government has

suspended UNITA members from participation in the

Government. The Government demanded a clarification

of their position vis-à-vis the peace process in Angola:

either they are in favour of peace and democracy, or, like

their leader, they choose war as a means to take political

power. All those who chose peace have since resumed the

activities for which they had been appointed within the

framework of the Government of Unity and National

Reconciliation. Recently, political leaders and party

cadres, together with officers from UNITA, made it clear

that they did not support war as does Mr. Jonas Savimbi.

On 2 August, they issued a political manifesto

denouncing Mr. Savimbi’s behaviour and, in an effort to

revitalize UNITA, they created a Renovation Committee

which removed Mr. Savimbi from the leadership of the

party. The goals defended by the UNITA Renovation

Committee in its political manifesto are those of peace

and the consolidation of democracy. This renovation

movement supports the peace accords, national

reconciliation and the effective transformation of UNITA

into a civilian political party, and it has given a new

breath of hope for the conclusion of the peace process.

For that reason, the Angolan Government has

decided to recognize UNITA’s Renovation Committee as

its only interlocutor and partner in the implementation of

outstanding tasks in the Lusaka Protocol. The SADC

countries have already recognized the Renovation

Committee, and we are convinced that the international

community at large will not hesitate to support and

promote the efforts of the new UNITA leadership as it

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assumes its role in the young, multi-party democracy in

Angola.

The Government of Angola does not believe it is

either prudent or realistic, but rather, dangerous, to yet

again give Mr. Savimbi the benefit of the doubt. This

would only lead to more false expectations, and we would

be wasting much valuable time to take appropriate

measures in this respect.

In the light of the new situation in UNITA, the

Angolan Government feels optimistic and therefore is still

committed to the successful conclusion of the Lusaka

Protocol. It will, however, continue to take all necessary

measures against those who pursue attempts to disrupt the

political order, so as to guarantee the territorial integrity of

the country and the protection of its citizens.

From this rostrum we want to draw the attention of

countries, such as the Togolese Republic and Burkina Faso

to the fact that the Government of Angola will not continue

to tolerate the support they are providing to UNITA’s

militarist wing led by Mr. Savimbi. This includes facilities

for military training for these groups to commit terrorist

acts in Angola. This is a clear violation of the Organization

of African Unity (OAU) Charter, the United Nations charter

and Security Council resolutions 864 (1993), 1127 (1997)

and 1173 (1998).

I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate my

Government’s heartfelt tribute to the efforts and role of the

United Nations in the peace process in Angola, and

especially the contribution of the late Matre Blondin Beye,

former Special Representative of the Secretary-General, in

support of peace in Angola.

I would also like to reiterate my Government’s appeal

to the international community to continue to render

humanitarian assistance to the displaced people in Angola

and to assist in the rehabilitation of social and economic

infrastructures.

Angola is also concerned about events in other areas

around the world. In the Democratic Republic of the

Congo, the military invasion by foreign forces is a serious

threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of that

country. This could also destabilize the central and southern

regions of the continent. This led some countries, including

Angola, to consent to the request for military aid by the

Congolese authorities within the framework of the SADC

Organ on Politics, Defence and Security.

The recent summit in Victoria Falls of the leaders of

the countries involved in the problem is a step in the right

direction for the resolution of the crisis. Angola supports

the withdrawal of the invading troops and the drafting of

an agreement that ensures respect by all countries in the

region of the independence, territorial integrity and

sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This would enable that country’s authorities to begin the

task of establishing a broad internal dialogue that should

lead to general elections in 1999, in accordance with the

democratization programme established by President

Kabila.

Angola welcomes the reinstatement of the

legitimately elected authorities in Sierra Leone and the

initiation of the process of the return of the refugees.

Angola hopes this is the beginning of the normalization

of the situation in that country.

In Guinea-Bissau, the signing of a ceasefire

agreement between the Government and the junta opens

broad opportunities for a negotiated end to the conflict.

We salute and encourage the efforts being developed by

the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries

(CPLP), where Angola, along with the countries of the

region, will continue to contribute to their efforts to foster

reconciliation between brothers and sisters in Guinea-

Bissau.

In Western Sahara, the obstacles placed in the path

of a peaceful solution have been progressively removed.

Angola continues to believe that a referendum held on the

basis of fairness and justice is the best means for the

people in the territory to choose their own destiny. We

support the continuation of United Nations and OAU joint

efforts.

We would also like to call the attention of the

international community to the problem of Somalia.

Although we recognize that the parties to the conflict

have the primary responsibility for finding a peaceful

solution, we believe this will be possible only with the

support of the United Nations.

We regret the lack of significant progress in the

Middle East peace process. Angola encourages the parties

to comply with the commitments made under the Oslo

agreement. We continue to defend the right of the

Palestinian people to self-determination, and we advocate

a rapid and fair resolution of the issues of the occupied

Arab territories, including Palestine, which should take

into account the interests of all the peoples in the region.

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We believe that this will ease the tensions in Arab-Israeli

relations.

The situation in East Timor, a territory with which

Angola shares linguistic links and a common anti-colonial

struggle, has recently seen positive developments as a result

of the understanding reached between Indonesia and

Portugal, under the auspices of the United Nations on the

reduction of the Indonesian military presence in the

territory, will contribute to the achievement of a peaceful

solution. Angola reaffirms its support for the struggle of the

people of East Timor for their right to self-determination.

The current world economic situation raises serious

concerns, since it contributes directly to the deterioration of

the standards of living of millions of human beings,

especially those in developing countries. We are concerned

by the imposition of unilateral restrictions to free trade and

financial and economic cooperation, such as the embargo

imposed against Cuba. Its victims are the most vulnerable

groups in society: women and children. The extraterritorial

nature of these measures runs counter to international law

and does not contribute to forging links of friendship

among peoples.

We believe that we urgently need to promote

international economic cooperation based on a partnership

that will allow all those that participate in the process to

share equitably in its gains. In spite of the implementation

of endless reforms and structural adjustment programmes,

as recommended by the International Monetary Fund and

the World Bank, the economies of developing countries

continue to make such modest advances that we must

question the real objectives of such reforms.

We join with those who have spoken before us in

reiterating our need to consider establishing a new

international economic order that is more real, more fair

and more equitable, capable of strengthening the

international financial system and supporting national

efforts to promote economic development throughout the

world.

It is not enough to appeal to the understanding of the

developed countries. We need to be more strongly involved

in the transformation of the international economic picture.

The application of measures that would have an immediate

impact, accompanied by well-structured programmes, such

as the United Nations System-wide Special Initiative for

Africa, deserve special attention if they are to attain the

success we expect of them.

The Final Declaration of the twelfth summit of non-

aligned countries, recently held in Durban, South Africa,

also defines some steps that can be taken to solve the

crisis, among which it underscores an increase in South-

South cooperation.

This year, we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the

adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This occasion should be an incentive to develop effective

instruments to promote and protect all human rights and

fundamental freedoms, since non-respect of these rights

is the main cause of conflict and instability. The

establishment of the International Criminal Court will be

a significant step in this direction. The Angolan

Government is sparing no effort to promote, protect and

defend all human rights. Were it not for the bellicose

behaviour of Mr. Savimbi, Angola would have hosted,

late this year, the first ministerial conference of the

Organization of African Unity on human and peoples’

rights in Africa. That initiative was my Government’s

contribution to the jubilee of the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights.

In conclusion, let me emphasize the role the United

Nations is playing to promote and protect human rights

throughout the world.