From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:MOZAMBIQUE: ITALIAN CONTINGENT AWAITS SECURITY COUNCIL GO-AHEAD
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 23:12:06 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1993, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Europe, western
Title: MOZAMBIQUE: ITALIAN CONTINGENT AWAITS SECURITY COUNCIL GO-AHEAD


rome, jan 4 (ips) -- three months after the mozambican government
and mozambique national resistance (renamo) rebels signed a peace
agreement here, one of the architects of the agreement has
expressed concern over the united nations' delay in following up
the accord.

italian military sources said that a 1200-strong military
contingent was awaiting an authorization from the un security
council to go to mozambique as part of a un peacekeeping force
this month.

but roman priest matteo zuppi, one of the main architects of
the peace agreement, said he was perplexed by the ''delay by the
united nations'' in setting in motion the mechanisms needed to
implement it and in sending peacekeepers to mozambique.

the peace accord was signed in rome on oct. 4. it capped two
years of tough negotiations whose main promoters were zuppi and
former italian deputy foreign minister mario raffaelli.

its signatories, mozambican president joaquim chissano and
renamo leader alfonso dhlakama requested the united nations to
monitor the accord and assist in its implementation.

italy's role, under the agreement, includes helping to set up
mechanisms which should pave the way for legislative and
presidential elections by the end of this year and contributing
some of the 8,000 un ''blue berets'' (peacekeeping troops).

these will supervise the demobilization of government and
renamo troops and the formation of a non-partisan army.

italy has pledged to contribute a quarter of the 400 million
dollars in aid approved for mozambique by arab countries, china,
the european community, russia, un agencies, the united states
and the vatican at an international donors' conference in
december.

most of the funds will be used to facilitate the resettlement
of almost six million refugees and the demobilization and
reintegration into civilian life of some 100,000 troops that
fought in the armed conflict, which lasted over 16 years.

the aid will be administered by un bodies, according to
italy's deputy foreign minister carmelo azzara, who chaired the
donors' conference, held in rome.

the italian military contingent will mainly guard the beira
corridor, which leads from mozambique's main port to the borders
with neighbouring zimbabwe and malawi and is considered
indispensable for the distribution of food aid throughout the
country. (more)
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the corridor is now being guarded by troops from zimbabwe and
malawi, whose replacement by un troops is one of the terms of the
oct. 4 agreement.

according to italian foreign minister emilio colombo, the
peace process will have to contribute to transforming mozambique
into a ''pole of development'' and an ''example of peaceful
coexistence between ethnic groups.''

italy's ambassador in maputo, manfredo incisa di camerana, has
stressed the importance of the peace agreement, given the
disastrous economic situation in the southern african country,
one of the world's poorest nations.

giving an idea of the state of the country's economy at the
mid-december donors' conference, he said that ''90 percent of its
resources are not being exploited and the communications system
has been totally destroyed.'' (end/ips/trd/so/bk-da/kb/93)
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