From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:ANGOLA: U.S. wants interim government within month
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 03:50:11 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: ANGOLA: U.S. wants interim government within month


washington, oct 29 (ips/jim lobe) -- angola's ruling party and
opposition unita movement should form an interim government within
a month to pave the way for a run-off election for the presidency,
washington's top africa diplomat said here thursday.

assistant secretary of state for african affairs herman cohen,
who returned last week from a two-day trip to angola, said both
unita (the national union for the total independence of angola)
and the ruling party  are preparing ''very reasonable, concrete
proposals'' for a ''joint governing mechanism''.

but he warned that the situation in the country is ''too tense
to wait much longer'' for a unity government that could calm
passions unleashed by the first round of elections swept by the
ruling popular movement for the liberation of angola (mpla) one
month ago.

''the country is poised on knife's edge,'' cohen told
reporters, adding that he was ''cautiously optimistic'' that the
crisis can be resolved through continued dialogue.

last month's u.n.-monitored elections were held pursuant to a
may 1991 ceasefire agreement, mediated by the united states,
russia, and portugal, which ended a 15-year civil war. the mpla
won control of parliament with about 54 percent of the vote, and
unita placed a distant second at 30 percent.

in the presidential vote, however, angolan president jose
eduardo dos santos fell just short of the majority needed to avoid
a run-off against unita's chief, jonas savimbi.

the u.n. special representative declared the voting ''free and
fair'' -- a conclusion also reached by washington and the european
community (ec).

as the votes were being tallied, however, savimbi denounced the
elections as fraudulent, fled luanda for his stronghold in huambo,
and ordered his generals out of the national army which was to be
formed under the peace accords.

with the country teetering on the brink of renewed civil war,
the international community tried unsuccessfully to coax both
sides into a summit meeting to resolve the crisis.

cohen, who took part in that effort, said thursday that south
african foreign minister 'pik' botha, who met at length with
savimbi, was especially helpful in persuading him that he would be
internationally isolated if he returned to war. (more/ips)

angola: u.s. wants interim government within month(2-e)

angola: u.s. wants (2)

but the unita leader has become a source of embarrassment to
washington which has strongly denounced him since the elections.

unita's actions, including its ''vitriolic yet unfounded
criticism of the united nations and 'foreign interference', (and)
aggressive takeover of districts in certain provinces and a
generally confrontational military posture, are causing many of us
to question unita's willingness to accept an electoral result in
which it is not the winner,'' cohen said thursday.

speaking to the u.s.-angola chamber of commerce in his first
extended remarks on the situation since his return from luanda,
cohen was, however, somewhat critical of the mpla. ''its seeming
winner-take-all post-election attitude and the confrontational
posture of its police forces exacerbated tensions,'' he said.

the electoral process is ''only partially complete,'' he said.
''angolans must now turn to the task of a second round of voting
for the presidency''.

although previous electoral arrangements called for a second
round to take place within 30 days of the first, cohen said that
deadline is ''insufficient under current conditions.'' it is
understood that u.s. officials are urging a date early next
spring, after the rainy season.

''but a narrow, short-term focus on the next round is not
enough,'' he said. ''while the two parties negotiate pre-election
conditions, we are encouraging them also to consider seriously
post-electoral arrangements about security and continuing
governmental roles for the candidates and parties that do not
place first in the balloting''.

''a winner-take-all approach is inappropriate, given the
conditions,'' he said, adding, ''but also inappropriate are
demands for powers by those who do not win''.

''it seems to me the election results indicate that angola
cannot be governed by one side alone.  everybody has to be in the
government in some way,'' he added.  for now, the parties ''should
focus on arranging a summit between dos santos and savimbi as soon
as possible,'' cohen said.

he noted that it was ''equally crucial that the international
nature of the angolan settlement be preserved''.

cohen said he expected the u.n. security council to approve an
extension of its forces in angola. critical to its task, he said,
was overseeing the demobilisation of 80,000 troops and the
building of a national army before the second round.
(end/ips/jl/yjc/92)