Mr. Issa Diallo

The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in Angola, Issa Diallo, was recently in South Africa while on a tour of African countries intended to relaunch the Angolan peace process.He candidly said that:

(1) Both of the partners to the Lusaka Protocol violate the agreement; UNITA during the day and the MPLA Government at night.

(2) He is being prevented by the MPLA Government from meeting the UNITA leadership.This makes it impossible for him to put the peace process back on track and perform his role as Mediator providing good offices between the two sides.The rationale for his presence in Angola is therefore called into question.

If these statements by the highest United Nations official in our country reflect a concern with re-establishing balance to a process, that was based on a double standard until now, it allows us to raise two pertinent questions:

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It is the UN Special Representative, Issa Diallo, himself, who laments the fact sanction limit his room for maneuver, since the MPLA Government prohibits him from going to meet the UNITA leadership.This is tied to the absurd UN Security Council resolution that prohibits our leaders from leaving the country.He can't even meet them outside of Angola!

UNITA continues to believe in the need to follow the paths of peace and national reconciliation within the framework stipulated in the Luska Protocol as soon our lives, honor and dignity are safeguarded.

KEY FACTS IN THE ANGOLAN PEACE PROCESS

Preface

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It is ready to contribute with constructive ideas so that the United Nations Secretary General's Special Representative, Issa Diallo, can relaunch the Angolan peace process.

UNITA reaffirms its willingness to conclude the outstanding tasks of the Lusaka Protocol on the basis of the terms reached in the agreement finalized with the Government on June 19, 1998

7. Calls on the international community, particularly the EU, to increase pressure in order to ensure that all the obligations entered into under the Lusaka protocol are complied with and to do everything in its power to prevent the collapse of the peace process and a resumption of hostilities and, to this end, calls for unconditional support for the action of the new special UN representative, Mr Issa Diallo;

MONUA's mandate expired in February and the U.N. special representative in Angola, Issa Diallo, left Angola on March 15, marking the end of the peacekeeping operation.For the next five months the U.N. negotiated with the Angolan government over permission for a follow-up U.N. operation.Eventually in late July the Angolan government permitted a thirty-strong United Nations Office in Angola (UNOA) which would include twelve human rights specialists.

The U.N. also focused its efforts on trying to open up neutral humanitarian corridors for relief aid.For much of the year the Angolan government opposed this but by August it had moderated its position to show some interest in assisting aid distribution.

The UN Secretary General has appointed Issa Diallo as his Special Representative to Angola, where he arrived on 28 August.Diallo was previously the Director of Conferences at the UN in Geneva, and worked as Deputy Director-General of the Guinean Foreign Ministry from 1963 - 1968.

This culture of incomprehensible brutality has emerged from the ashes of the Lusaka Protocol, a UN-brokered cease-fire that is supposed to be administered by a joint commission chaired by the UN Secretary General""""s Special Representative, Issa Diallo.It is comprised of government and UNITA representatives, and the troika observer states of the Russian Federation, Portugal and the United States, who report to the Security Council.Implementation of the accord is overseen by the UN peacekeeping force MONUA.

to assist the Special Representative of the UNSG, Mr. Issa Diallo, in fulfilling his mandate for the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol, and remains ready to support the UN Secretary General, his Special Representative and the Troika of observer countries in their task to bring that Protocol to a successful conclusion.

The Union finally appeals to the Government of Angola and in particular to UNITA to respect human rights and to cooperate with MONUA and the humanitarian organisations in the delivery of emergency relief assistance and to guarantee the safety and freedom of movement of their personnel, as well as access to affected populations.The EU reiterates its will to continue to provide humanitarian aid to the victims of the conflict, the people of Angola.

The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union, the associated country Cyprus and the EFTA countries, members of th= e European Economic Area align themselves with this declaration.

For twenty long years Angola has been the victim of civil war, and with the departure of the United Nations special representative, Issa Diallo, there is less cause for optimism than ever before.The shooting down of two UN transport aircraft at the turn of the year was cause for the UN to withdraw all its 1,000 observers to the comparative safety of Luanda.Now Mr Diallo's premature departure indicates despair within the international community that an agreement will ever be brokered between President José dos Santos' MPLA government and the UNITA rebels led by Jonas Savimbi.

It calls on the Government and UNITA to assist the Special Representative of the UNSG, Mr. Issa Diallo, in fulfilling his mandate for the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol, and remains ready to support the UN Secretary General, his Special Representative and the Troika of observer countries in their task to bring that Protocol to a successful conclusion.

It calls on the Government and UNITA to assist the Special Representative of the UNSG, Mr. Issa Diallo, in fulfilling his mandate for the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol, and remains ready to support the UN Secretary General, his Special Representative and the Troika of observer countries in their task to bring that Protocol to a successful conclusion.

The Union finally appeals to the Government of Angola and in particular to UNITA to respect human rights and to cooperate with MONUA and the humanitarian organizations in the delivery of emergency relief assistance and to guarantee the safety and freedom of movement of their personnel, as well as access to affected populations.The EU reiterates its will to continue to provide humanitarian aid to the victims of the conflict, the people of Angola.

The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union, the associated country Cyprus and the EFTA countries, members of the European Economic Area align themselves with this declaration.

- 13 to 15 April 1988 : Mr.Abdulrahim A. Ferrah, secretary general assistant, in charge of special political questions, and Mr. Issa Diallo, secretary general Special assistant, accompany Mr. Kenneth kaunda, The President of Zambia, through a visit to Morocco and Algeria.