LUANDA (Oct. 13) XINHUA - Visiting United Nations envoy to Angola Mussagy Jeichande has stated that the UN considers as central desire the achievement of a lasting peace in Angola, according to the official news agency Angop Friday.
Jeichande, also head of the UN Office in Angola(UNOA), made the remarks after a meeting with Angolan Foreign Minister Joao Miranda. He stressed that "it is necessary to make all the efforts to end the war in Angola".
Mussagy Jeichande, who is in Angola for a half-month visit starting from October 1 as special representative of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, acknowledged the efforts made by the Angolan government for the restoration of peace around the country that has been suffering over 25 years of civil conflicts between the government troops and the rebels led by Jonas Savimbi.
On his meeting with Miranda, Jeichande said that they discussed the role UN can play in the Angolan peace process. Meanwhile, he explained that there is no parallel between his discussion with the Angolan foreign minister and the UN Security Council meeting on Angola held on Thursday.
"The Security Council periodically schedules meetings to follow- up the situation in Angola", said the diplomat, who declined to reveal if he had already delivered to the Angolan authorities the list of officials making up UNOA.
In his report submitted to the meeting of UN Security Council, Kofi Annan has reiterated the accusation on Jonas Savimbi as being the main culprit for the continuation of war in Angola. It also recommended the extension, until April 2001, of the mandate of UNOA, which was set up in October 1999.
Commenting on the resumption of investigations to determine the cause of the shooting-down of two planes of the World Food Programme (WFP) in 1998 and 1999, Leichande said that the issue will be dealt with by the Angolan government in due time.
According to ANGOP, conditions have already been created, at regional level, for the restart of investigations about the shooting-down of the two airplanes, allegedly by the rebel soldiers.
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Received by NewsEdge Insight: 10/13/2000 12:41:09