NEW YORK, 12 JUNE 1998
STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR ANTÓNIO MONTEIRO, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF PORTUGAL, TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL 3891^st MEETING (the situation in Angola)

The President: I will now make a statement in my capacity as representative of Portugal.

First of all, I would like to express Portugal's full support for the draft resolution before the Council. Of course, my delegation associates itself fully with the statement that was made by the United Kingdom on behalf of the European Union. Let me also welcome the presence among us of Vice-Minister Higino Carneiro.

The Security Council is about to take a decision imposing a third package of mandatory measures on the União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola (UNITA). This is a regrettable but necessary decision in view of the persistent pattern of non-compliance by UNITA with the provisions of the Angolan peace process, namely the “Acordos de Paz”, the Lusaka Protocol, the relevant Security Council resolutions and, most recently, the plan approved by the Joint Commission on 19 May 1998.

Since the beginning of this year, 1998, UNITA has missed five deadlines for compliance with remaining tasks of the peace process. These deadlines were freely accepted by UNITA and, in some cases, were actually proposed by its leadership. As a result of this persistent non-compliance, the great gains already achieved in this long peace process are now in jeopardy. The international community, which has invested heavily in helping the Angolans towards peace, is therefore in a position now to demand that these substantial efforts not be thrown away through irresponsible treatment of the very important tasks that form the road map to peace in Angola.

We appeal to UNITA to heed the message from the Council. Its leadership should live up to its special status, which is recognized by Angolan law and by the Lusaka Protocol. UNITA should seize this opportunity to cooperate fully as a political party in the consolidation of democracy in Angola.

These additional measures are not being imposed for their own sake. They have a clear goal: the successful completion of the peace process, which is in the interest, above all, of the Angolan people themselves, including UNITA.

I now resume my functions as President of the Security Council.