WRITTEN QUESTION P-3771/98

by Olivier Dupuis (ARE) to the Council

(4 December 1998)

Subject: Situation in Angola

In view of recent developments in the situation in Angola, and especially the blocking of the peace process - and the commitments arising from it - by President Dos Santos's party, the government's refusal to permit the UN Secretary-General's representative to move freely in the regions controlled by UNITA, the severe restrictions and pressure imposed on members of UNITA who have settled in Luanda under the Lusaka Protocol agreements and with a guarantee from the international community, what measures has the Council taken, or does it intend to take, to enable the peace process in Angola to be resumed and to ensure the protection and well-being of UNITA members who are now hostages of the peace process?

More generally, does the Council not consider it necessary to organise an international conference on the current serious crisis in Africa, which might be designated the "first African world war", to be attended by representatives of all the warring factions in this part of Africa and to enable an end to be put to the UN Security Council's partial and often biased crisis management, its aim too often being to favour the particular interests of one country rather than finding a genuine solution to local problems?

Reply

(29 March 1999)

The Council shares the Honourable Member's deep concern over the serious deterioration in the political and military situation in Angola and over the increasing risk of a return to war and further widespread suffering among the Angolan people.

The European Union has consistently urged the parties to observe the Lusaka Protocol, particularly as regards the demobilisation of all UNITA troops that have not yet been incorporated into the Angolan army. The Council adopted restrictive measures against UNITA in its Common Position of 3 July 1998 (98/425/CFSP).

The Council is of the opinion that the primary cause of the crisis in Angola and of the current impasse in the peace process, as stated by the UN Secretary-General in his latest report of 17 January 1999, by the UN Security Council in Resolution 1213 (1998) of 3 December 1998 and Resolution 1221 (1999) of 12 January 1999, and by the Chairman of the Security Council in his statement of 21 January 1999, is the failure of the leadership of UNITA in Bailundo to comply with its obligations under the "Acordos de Paz", the Lusaka Protocol and relevant Security Council resolutions. The Council does not share the critical views of the Honourable Member concerning the UN Security Council.

The Council made its position on the current conflict in Angola clear in its statement of 29 September 1998 and in the Joint Communique of the Ministerial Conference between the European Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Vienna on 3 and 4 November 1998.

To sum up, the EU and SADC agree that the blame for the current deteriorating situation lies primarily with UNITA, due to its continuing failure to comply with its obligations. The Council has repeatedly demanded that UNITA and its leadership in Bailundo comply immediately and without conditions with their obligations, in particular the complete demilitarisation of their forces and full cooperation in the immediate and unconditional extension of State administration throughout the national territory. Unfortunately it is clear in the light of recent developments that the UNITA leadership has chosen the opposite path.

As regards the UNITA Renovada, the Council has welcomed its commitment to peace and national reconciliation, but emphasised that all parties in Angola should be working towards the successful implementation of the Lusaka Protocol. The Council believes that treating UNITA Renovada as the sole interlocutor or refusing dialogue with Savimbi would not help to promote peace. The Council has also appealed to the Government to refrain from military action and to live up to its obligations under the Lusaka Protocol.

The Union remains committed to encouraging and supporting national reconciliation, economic regeneration and democratisation in Angola, on the basis of respect for the rule of law and good governance (including the transparent and accountable management of all the country's resources for the purpose of equitable and sustainable development).

As regards the holding of an international conference on the current serious crisis in Africa, the EU has consistently supported the idea of a conference under the auspices of the UN and the OAU to deal with the conflicts in the Great Lakes Region. As far as the situation in this region is concerned, the Union made its position clear in the Presidency Conclusions of the European Council held in Vienna on 11 and 12 December 1998.

The Council does not believe that proposing an international conference specifically covering the conflict in Angola would serve any purpose, unless the parties to the conflict, the UN, as well as the OAU and the SADC were to take such an initiative. The framework for the peace process is the UN-sponsored Lusaka Protocol, upon which all subsequent measures and sanctions are based. Starting a new process at this juncture would risk further invalidating the Lusaka Protocol.