Angola, 1994

Please allow me

to begin by congratulating Mr. Amara-Essy, on behalf of

the Government of the Republic of Angola, on my own

behalf and on behalf of my delegation, on his election to

the presidency of this forty-ninth session of the United

Nations General Assembly. We are fully convinced that his

diplomatic experience and dedication to the noble ideals of

our Organization will ensure the success of the Assembly’s

proceedings at this session. I wish to assure him of my

delegation’s full cooperation.

I should also like to express our appreciation to your

predecessor, His Excellency Ambassador Samuel Insanally,

for his proven dedication and skill in conducting the

activities of the Assembly at its forty-eighth session.

I also wish to express the profound gratitude of the

people and Government of the Republic of Angola to the

Secretary-General for his skill, energy and tenacity, and for

all his efforts in the search for solutions to the innumerable

and serious problems afflicting the peoples of our planet.

The history we are witnessing today clearly shows a

flagrant betrayal of many peoples’ expectations of a better

world following the end of the cold war. We had all hoped

for, and anticipated, life in a better world of peace and

prosperity. Instead, we are witnessing the proliferation of

internal conflicts, with such tragic consequences, and we

see no visible signs of any immediate satisfactory and

lasting solutions, despite the efforts of this Organization.

With the end of the cold war and ideological

confrontation, the African continent has witnessed during

the past five years a vast expansion of democracy, which

has contributed to the revival of hope for the prosperity and

well-being of the African peoples, still suffering the

economic backwardness bequeathed by colonialism.

However, Africa continues to be the continent most

affected by the proliferation of war and political instability.

It is sufficient to mention as examples the conflicts in

Rwanda, Somalia, Liberia, Burundi and my own country.

Similar problems are occurring in many other parts

of the world, which indicates the need for an immediate

intensification of efforts by the international community,

and in particular for increased participation by the United

Nations, to find a negotiated, just and acceptable formula

to protect the legitimate interests of peoples.

The United Nations must define universal guidelines

to prevent the application of differing criteria to the

solution of various conflicts. In other words, in order to

maintain the credibility of our Organization, all crises and

conflicts must be given fair and equal treatment. This

underlines the urgent need to restructure United Nations

procedures in order to make the existing mechanisms for

the prevention and management of conflicts compatible

with the realities of our time.

With respect to human rights, the United Nations

should continue to play an active role in order to prevent

their continuing to be jeopardized. The recent

establishment of the post of High Commissioner for

human rights by the General Assembly was an important

step forward in this sense.

The Republic of Angola reaffirms that human rights

and fundamental freedoms are universal, and that their

promotion and protection should be ensured on the basis

of equality, impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity.

The human rights issue cannot and should not be used as

a political weapon or a pretext for interference in the

internal affairs of States.

Angola follows with interest and satisfaction the

positive developments taking place in some regions of the

world, where solutions are being found to conflicts that

had seemed endless. In the Middle East, for example, the

determination of the Palestinian people and the political

courage of the present Government of Israel have

contributed to the climate of reduced tension that led to

the historic agreement, signed in Washington, for the

autonomy of Gaza and Jericho - territories illegally

occupied in the past.

We appeal to the international community to make

every effort to ensure strict compliance with the

agreement, and success for it, by providing all possible

help to the Palestinian people for the reconstruction and

socio-economic development of the embryonic Palestinian

State.

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It would not be immoderate to once again hail the

courage and determination demonstrated by President

Yasser Arafat and by Mr. Shimon Peres.

We encourage the Government of Israel to continue

the contacts already initiated with the countries of the

region with a view to achieving peace and harmony in the

area.

In southern Africa, we laud the courage and

determination of the people of South Africa, which led to

the fall of the inhuman and anachronistic apartheid regime.

Today we rejoice to see the people of South Africa free at

last. We again greet the new South Africa, led by

President Mandela, this different South Africa, which

emerged from a democratic election, whose results were

accepted by all the political forces in the country.

We warmly congratulate the new South African

authorities and welcome them to our Organization. We

also pay tribute to the peoples of southern Africa, who

made so many sacrifices before toppling the dreadful

apartheid regime.

Angola, which was the main victim of innumerable

attacks, suffering enormous loss of human life and

destruction of social and economic infrastructures, because

of the support we gave to the brotherly people of South

Africa, has reason to ask here and now whether the

resolutions of this Assembly and of the Security Council

regarding compensation to my country will now be

implemented.

In Mozambique, we welcome and encourage the

Government’s commitment to organize democratic

elections, and we urge RENAMO and other political forces

to respond with an equal commitment to the success of the

process, leading to lasting peace in that country. However,

the United Nations, in particular, and the international

community, in general, have an important role to play in

ensuring the attainment of the main objectives: peace,

democracy and prosperity.

In Liberia, we are encouraged by the positive

developments and by the dialogue that is taking place

between the parties involved. Angola encourages the

continuation of such dialogue and urges the parties to truly

commit themselves to the search for a lasting peace.

With regard to Western Sahara, Angola urges the

parties involved to apply the United Nations peace plan

strictly and to adhere scrupulously to the mechanisms

established for that purpose, which have the full support

of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), and we

encourage the parties to enter into direct dialogue to

facilitate progress.

In Rwanda, the easing of political and military

upheavals notwithstanding, a precarious socio-

humanitarian situation prevails. Angola expresses its

solidarity with the brotherly people of Rwanda. We

consider that the international community should continue

to play an important role in solving the crisis in Rwanda

and in maintaining the peace and tranquillity of its

peoples.

In Somalia, in spite of the commitment demonstrated

by the international community, we do not foresee an end

to the armed conflict in the near future, because of the

lack of consensus between the parties involved. Angola

considers that our Organization should continue to assume

its responsibility in the maintenance of world peace and

security, which are threatened in that part of Africa, and

we appeal to the common sense of the parties to

cooperate with the United Nations in the efforts to

re-establish peace in that country.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, in spite of the enormous

efforts by the international community to restore peace,

profound differences still remain, and this contributes to

the continuation of the conflict. We therefore urge the

parties and the international community to continue their

efforts to find a lasting solution that is acceptable to the

parties involved. Finally, we salute the Government of

the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for its efforts to that

end.

With regard to the Korean peninsula, Angola

encourages the efforts towards reunification and salutes

the positive signs registered in the dialogue between the

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the United

States of America.

Angola is following with concern the situation in

East Timor. The international community has witnessed

the serious and persistent violations of human-rights to

which the suffering people of East Timor have been

subjected. Angola considers that there is a fundamental

problem to be resolved first. Here, I refer to

decolonization and to respect for the rights of the peoples

of this territory - mainly, their right to self-determination.

We therefore urge the Government of Indonesia to

recognize the legitimate right of the people of East Timor

to self-determination and independence and to cooperate

43

with Portugal, as the administering Power, and with the

United Nations towards fulfilment of the wishes of the

Maubere people.

The current situation in Cuba, following the tightening

of the economic embargo, should be one of the main

concerns at this session of the General Assembly, as its

direct victims are the populations of island.

The General Assembly’s adoption of resolutions 47/19

and 48/16 clearly demonstrates that the economic,

commercial and financial embargo imposed against Cuba is

contrary to the principles of international law and the

Charter of the United Nations. For this reason, and in

particular because of the extraterritorial application of that

unilateral measure, Angola condemns it.

As we add our voice to those of all who seek an end

to the embargo imposed against Cuba we are convinced that

only through dialogue - never by adopting drastic and

inhuman measures such as I have mentioned - can disputes

be resolved. We therefore encourage the continuance of

dialogue between the two countries towards the resolution

of their differences within the framework of the Charter of

the United Nations.

The international strategy for development for the

years 1991-2000, which was adopted in December 1991,

brought hope to the international community, which has

regarded the effective implementation of this new strategy

as the solution to the socio-economic problems of our

planet. Today, three years having elapsed, a certain

scepticism is shaking our initial convictions.

The Republic of Angola considers that the role played

by the international economic institutions - bodies such as

the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development,

the World Trade Organization and the General Agreement

on Tariffs and Trade - is of vital importance. In the fight

against trade barriers, these bodies create enormous

opportunities for developing countries to participate in the

development of the world market. The heavy and painful

burden of external debt dating back to 1982 leads us to

believe that the efforts of all are necessary if we are to find

medium- and long-term solutions.

Equally, special attention must be given to the issues

of sustainable development. This necessarily implies

implementation of the objectives of the Rio summit and the

honouring of commitments assumed thereafter by the

industrialized countries.

The data included in the reports presented to the

Cairo Conference on Population and Development

demonstrate that the social situation throughout the world

is assuming almost alarming proportions. The fact that

the world’s population is now 5.5 billion and that the

majority of these people live in absolute poverty

convinces us of the urgent need to adopt, during the

forthcoming World Summit for Social Development, a

concerted plan of action calling for measures to counter

the increasing deterioration in their social condition. We

therefore reiterate our firm belief in the legitimacy of the

goals set out in the document entitled "African Common

Position on Human and Social Development in Africa".

Having made a few comments on the main problems

that affect all of us in one way or another, I should like

to make a brief reference to the situation in my country.

Representatives will probably recall that, following

UNITA’s rejection of the results of the democratic

elections in 1992, which the international community

monitored and judged to have been free and fair, UNITA

resorted to war, with the objective of taking power by

force of arms, contrary to the spirit of the Bicesse

Accord, of which this Organization is a signatory and

which served as the basis for the electoral process.

The situation created by the resumption of war

rapidly degenerated into a real catastrophe, jeopardizing

the country’s territorial integrity and forcing the legitimate

government to take defensive measures to prevent the

realization of UNITA’s intentions.

In spite all the efforts of the Angolan Government

and of the international community, and as a result of this

war, imposed on the people of Angola by the militaristic

wing of Mr. Savimbi’s UNITA, Angola faces a rather

sombre future - one dangerously similar to those of the

countries that I have already mentioned.

The present situation in my country is characterized

by the extreme poverty of the people, who, having fled

the war zones in order to save their lives, have become

refugees in their own land.

In Angola there are currently 3.75 million displaced

persons, more than 500,000 mutilated people and

thousands of orphaned children and abandoned elderly

folk. In addition, almost of the country’s all economic

infrastructures have been destroyed. In some areas

controlled by the Government, people and goods cannot

always circulate freely, owing to mines and to the acts of

44

terrorism and banditry perpetrated by UNITA’s military

wing.

The difficult situation that I have just described must

continue to command the attention of the international

community if the people and the legitimate Government are

to be helped to re-establish peace throughout the country.

As those present in this Hall know, on 15 November

last, following the failure of our attempts to establish a

dialogue, from Namibia to Addis Ababa and Abidjan, the

Government of Angola initiated the negotiations of Lusaka.

These were mediated by the United Nations and were

observed by Portugal, Russia and the United States of

America, whose endeavour has contributed to the consensus

in the negotiators’ position.

It is important that we should once again express our

sincere gratitude to the Government of His Excellency

President Chiluba for his generosity and patience in

receiving the Angolan people in his country and for his

positive action, albeit discreet and unofficial. We also

reiterate our appreciation of the important role played by

the troika of observers - Portugal, Russia and the United

States of America - and for the committed way in which

the Secretary-General’s special representative, Mr. Allioune

Beye, has conducted the negotiations in Lusaka. Mr.

Beye’s knowledge of the Angolan situation is our guarantee

of a rapid conclusion to the talks. The people of Angola

and the international community expressed their satisfaction

at the fact that UNITA has finally accepted the mediators’

package of proposals, for this constitutes an important step

towards peace and national reconciliation.

It is none the less true that UNITA accepted this

package of proposals by the mediators only because of

pressure from the international community and, first and

foremost, from the Security Council through its numerous

resolutions, in particular resolutions 864 (1993) and

932 (1994), which advocated the imposition of sanctions

against UNITA if its leadership did not demonstrate good

faith about the conclusion of an agreement; and, also

because on the military front there had been a clear reversal

of the situation. Today the Government already controls

more than 75 per cent of the territory and 90 per cent of

the population.

We are convinced that if this pressure is maintained

UNITA, which knows only the language of the force of

weapons, might engage in a constructive and honest

dialogue. In this context we once again urge the

international community to continue exercising its various

forms of pressure on UNITA’s militaristic wing so that an

agreement is reached in Lusaka to put a definitive end to

the war and to restore peace and harmony among the

Angolan people.

We are not aiming at a military victory. We want

an agreement that can bring lasting peace and pave the

way to national reconciliation. Our insistence on pressure

is based on our desire that the relative progress made in

Lusaka be irreversible, as it is only a step along the

difficult path to peace and its consolidation, to the

promotion of the country’s unity and national

reconciliation, and to the defence of legality and

democracy.

Therefore, the international community, and the

Security Council in particular, must be prepared to act

immediately as soon as an agreement is reached in

Lusaka in order to avoid any pretexts for non-compliance.

There must not be a substantial interval between the

signing of the agreement in Lusaka and the

re-establishment of the cease-fire, on the one hand, and

the beginning of the implementation of the Lusaka

agreement, or understandings on the other; this will avoid

violations. In this context it is necessary to anticipate the

sending of the component of the United Nations Angola

Verification Mission (UNAVEM III) immediately after

the signing of the agreement.

Please allow me to reiterate before this Assembly

that it is the firm commitment of the Government of the

Republic of Angola not to spare any effort in the search

for a negotiated solution to the crisis in Angola and that

it is not our intention to destroy UNITA militarily.

Contrary to information which has been circulated

recently accusing the Government of launching a military

offensive against UNITA, we have to say that the truth is

completely different. The Government is engaged in

stopping the UNITA military offensive, with the aim of

halting the kind of events that occurred before the signing

of the Bicesse Accords, in order to ensure that a military

advantage not be obtained while the Lusaka Accord was

being signed. We should not enable UNITA to obstruct

the full implementation of the Accord. We want UNITA

to become a political party, to be prepared to live in

democracy and to respect the existing constitution, which

is the result of a difficult national consensus which

UNITA itself joined in and which it amended before it

was approved by the Parliament.

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Finally, we would like to send a strong appeal to the

international community to increase humanitarian assistance

to the needy people. The Government’s scarce resources

are insufficient to meet the dramatic socio-humanitarian

situation of the people being rescued from the captivity of

UNITA.

Members have had the opportunity to see on

television the real situation in Kuito and elsewhere. The

Government of Angola has always been committed to

delivering humanitarian assistance to all the needy

regardless of where they may be, and requests that

pressure be exerted on UNITA not to hamper the efforts

to distribute relief supplies to the population and the work

of non-governmental organizations and United Nations

agencies which with great sacrifice are involved in

humanitarian assistance to Angola.

I reiterate our best wishes for the success of this

forty-ninth session of the General Assembly.