UNdemocracy.com

Security Council meeting 3803

Date23 July 1997
Started12:35
Ended12:45
S-PV-3803 1997-07-23 12:35 23 July 1997 [[23 July]] [[1997]] /

The situation in Angola

The meeting was called to order at 12.35 p.m.

Adoption of the agenda

The agenda was adopted.

The situation in Angola

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. Do Nascimento (Angola) took a seat at the Council table.
The President

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations.

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 deep concern at recent destabilizing actions in Angola, in particular the failure of the União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola (UNITA) to comply with resolution 1118 (1997) of 30 June 1997 and its continued efforts to restore its military capabilities. The Council considers the information submitted by UNITA to the Joint Commission on 21 July 1997 with regard to the strength of its armed forces, the extension of state administration and the activities of Vorgan radio station to be neither complete nor credible.

“The Security Council condemns the mistreatment of the personnel of the United Nations and international humanitarian organizations in areas under UNITA control, as well as the harassment of United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA) personnel in the exercise of their functions. Those actions by UNITA are unacceptable and contrary to its commitments under the Lusaka Protocol and to Security Council resolutions. In this regard, the Council fully supports the joint statement by MONUA and the representatives of the three Observer States issued on 14 July 1997.

“The Security Council notes with concern that the increasing tension in the northern part of the country is rapidly spreading to the central and southern provinces, with very dangerous implications for the implementation of the remaining tasks of the peace process, including those referred to in Security Council resolution 1118 (1997). The Council calls upon both parties to refrain from any use of force, in accordance with their commitments under the Lusaka Protocol.

“The Security Council also calls upon both parties to continue to work closely with the Joint Commission, and in particular UNITA, to cooperate fully with MONUA and to ensure the freedom of movement and the safety of its personnel, as well as of international humanitarian organizations.

“The Security Council reiterates its belief that the long-awaited meeting within the territory of Angola between the President of Angola and the leader of UNITA could greatly contribute to the reduction of tension and to the process of national reconciliation.

“The Security Council notes with concern reports from MONUA that unauthorized aircraft have landed in territory under UNITA control. In this context, the Council calls upon all States to comply fully with paragraph 19 of resolution 864 (1993) of 15 September 1993.

“The Security Council reaffirms its readiness to consider the imposition of measures, inter alia, those specifically mentioned in paragraph 26 of resolution 864 (1993), unless UNITA takes irreversible and concrete steps immediately to fulfil its obligations under the Lusaka Protocol. These steps should include demilitarization of all its forces, transformation of its radio station Vorgan into a non-partisan broadcasting facility and full cooperation in the process of the normalization of state administration throughout Angola. The Council requests the Secretary-General to keep it fully informed on the implementation of those tasks and to assess their fulfilment by UNITA in his report which is to be submitted by 15 August 1997 in accordance with resolution 1118 (1997).

“The Security Council will continue to monitor closely the situation in Angola and will remain seized of the matter.”

This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/1997/39.

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.

The meeting rose at 12.45 p.m.
Source Code of undemocracy.com protected by AGPL Open Knowledge