ANGOLA-POLITICS: DOS SANTOS, SAVIMBI MEETING UNCERTAIN, BEYE SAYS

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

JOWIE MWIINGA

LUSAKA, Dec 28 1994 (IPS) - PROSPECTS FOR A MEETING BETWEEN ANGOLAN PRESIDENT JOSE EDUARDO DOS SANTOS AND UNITA CHIEF JONAS SAVIMBI REMAIN UNCERTAIN, U.N. MEDIATOR ALOUINE BLONDIN BEYE SAID HERE WEDNESDAY.

“SUCH A MEETING WOULD BE DESIRABLE, BUT I AM NOT IN A POSITION TO SAY WHEN AND WHERE IT MAY TAKE PLACE,” BEYE TOLD REPORTERS MINUTES AFTER LANDING IN LUSAKA. “THE DATE AND THE PLACE OF THE MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO DO NOT DEPEND ON ME.”

BEYE WAS RESPONDING TO MEDIA REPORTS THAT HE HAD COME TO LUSAKA TO ARRANGE A MEETING BETWEEN ANGOLA’S BELLIGERENTS IN THE ZAMBIAN CAPITAL.

SAVIMBI HAS REFUSED TO MEET DOS SANTOS IN ANGOLA, CLAIMING KNOWLEDGE OF A GOVERNMENT PLAN TO KILL HIM. HE HAS MAINTAINED THAT HE WILL ONLY MEET THE ANGOLAN LEADER ON NEUTRAL GROUND.

SOURCES IN THE ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT TOLD REPORTERS EARLIER THAT BEYE WAS HOPING TO ARRANGE A MEETING OF THE TWO LEADERS EITHER IN LUSAKA OR IN SAO TOME/PRINCIPE.

BEYE BROKERED THE YEAR-LONG TALKS BETWEEN THE LUANDA GOVERNMENT AND UNITA THAT LED TO A NOVEMBER PEACE AGREEMENT IN LUSAKA AND ENDED 19 YEARS OF CIVIL WAR IN ANGOLA.

HE CAME TO LUSAKA TO BRIEF ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT FREDERICK CHILUBA ON THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL’S REACTION TO THE LUSAKA PROTOCOL AND ON THE POLITICAL, MILITARY AND HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN ANGOLA.

DURING SIMILAR MISSIONS EARLIER THIS MONTH, HE MET WITH PRESIDENTS ROBERT MUGABE OF ZIMBABWE AND MOBUTU SESE SEKO OF ZAIRE.

BEYE REFUSED TO CONFIRM REPORTS THAT LUANDA HAD REFUSED TO ACCEPT PEACEKEEPERS FROM ZIMBABWE AND SOUTH AFRICA, SAYING: “ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS HAVING NO TROUBLE IN FINDING ENOUGH TROOPS TO SEND TO ANGOLA.”

THE COUNCIL SENT A FIRST BATCH OF PEACEKEEPERS TO ANGOLA ON DECEMBER 19. MORE TROOPS, SOME OF THEM FROM OTHER SOUTHERN AFRICAN NATIONS, ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN PLACE THERE BEFORE THE END OF JANUARY.

AS A RULE, IT TAKES THREE MONTHS FOR PEACE-KEEPING FORCES TO ARRIVE AFTER THE SIGNING OF A CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT. “IN ANGOLA, WE HAVE DONE THAT IN LESS THAN A MONTH AFTER THE AGREEMENT. THAT IS A RECORD,” BEYE SAID.