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Security Council meeting 3508

Date10 March 1995
Started13:20
Ended13:25
S-PV-3508 1995-03-10 13:20 10 March 1995 [[10 March]] [[1995]] /

The situation in Angola First progress report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III) (S/1995/177)

The meeting was called to order at 1.20 p.m.

Adoption of the agenda

The agenda was adopted.

The situation in Angola

First progress report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III) (S/1995/177)
The President

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.

At the invitation of the President, Mr. Van-Dunem “Mbinda” (Angola) took a place at the Council table.
The President

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 first progress report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III), document S/1995/177.

I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/1995/192, which contains the text of a letter dated 9 March 1995 from the Permanent Representative of Angola to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General.

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 has considered the Secretary-General’s report of 5 March 1995 (S/1995/177) on the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III).

“The Security Council welcomes the assessment by the Secretary-General that the cease-fire is generally holding. It also welcomes the continued deployment of United Nations military and police observers to sites outside Luanda. It notes, however that this deployment has been complicated by a lack of full cooperation by the parties, in particular UNITA. In the month since the adoption of its resolution 976 (1995), a number of developments have taken place which give rise to serious concern. These include the lack of progress in disengagement around Uige and Negage, the escalation of tensions in the last few weeks, especially in the northern region, the lack of security clearances to visit certain areas and restrictions on movement of UNAVEM III personnel, attacks on villages, mine-laying, unauthorized movement of troops and military air activity, and attacks on United Nations aircraft, in particular that by UNITA in Quibaxe on 13 February 1995. The Council calls upon the parties, particularly UNITA, to refrain from such activities, to end negative propaganda, to improve their cooperation with each other and the United Nations through the Joint Commission and to cooperate fully with humanitarian operations.

“The Security Council reiterates its call upon President Dos Santos and Dr. Savimbi to meet without delay as a sign of their joint commitment to the peace process and urges the Government of Angola and UNITA to finalize arrangements towards this end immediately, with a view to ensuring the necessary political momentum for the successful implementation of the Lusaka Protocol. It also encourages the observer States to the peace process, the Organization of African Unity and the neighbouring countries involved to continue their efforts aimed at the full implementation of the peace process.

“The Council reaffirms the obligations of all States to implement fully the provisions of paragraph 19 of resolution 864 (1993) and reiterates its call upon the Government of Angola and UNITA to cease the acquisition of arms and war matériel as agreed in the Acordos de Paz’.

“The Security Council notes that the United Nations is currently pursuing with the Government of Angola the provision of critical services and access to key facilities such as ports and airports for UNAVEM III. Early and positive responses from the Government of Angola to the United Nations requirements in this respect are essential to UNAVEM III’s deployment. It calls on both parties to expedite the completion of the initial tasks in order to ensure the prompt deployment of UNAVEM III units. The Council reiterates the importance it attaches to the Government of Angola and the United Nations agreeing on a Status of Forces Agreement by 20 March 1995 as called for in paragraph 13 of its resolution 976 (1995). It will continue to monitor closely developments in these areas.

“The Security Council commends the United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations for their continuing efforts to distribute humanitarian relief throughout Angola. It reiterates the importance it attaches to a well-coordinated and comprehensive mine clearance programme which will, inter alia, improve the logistics of humanitarian operations. It calls upon both parties to cooperate with the United Nations and with the non-governmental organizations to put this in place. It deplores the killing on 2 March of three Angolans and one German, all members of the Cap Anamur’ non-governmental organization involved in demining activities, as well as attacks in the last month on ICRC aircraft and road transport and reminds the parties of its repeated demands that they refrain from all actions which could jeopardize the safety of humanitarian personnel in Angola.

“The Security Council endorses the Secretary-General’s conclusions that the Government of Angola and UNITA must provide more concrete signs of cooperation and goodwill in the implementation of the peace process. It reminds the parties that the deployment of the units of UNAVEM III will not take place unless the conditions contained in paragraph 32 of his report of 1 February 1995 (S/1995/97) have been met. It has taken careful note of the Secretary-General’s statement that, unless he can report by 25 March 1995 that the parties have complied with these conditions, it will not be possible to ensure that deployment begins on 9 May 1995. Time is short if the opportunity created by the Lusaka Protocol and the Council’s resolution 976 (1995) is not to be lost. The Council joins the Secretary-General in calling upon the parties to take the necessary steps now to ensure that deployment of these units can begin as planned on 9 May 1995. It requests the Secretary-General to keep it closely informed of developments in this regard.”

This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/1995/11.

The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on the agenda.

The Security Council will remain seized of the matter.

The meeting rose at 1.25 p.m.
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