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DATE=8/24/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237577
TITLE=ANGOLA / UNITA (L ONLY)
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=JOHANNESBURG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  IN ANGOLA, THE UNITA REBEL MOVEMENT HAS ANNOUNCED IT IS 
BREAKING OFF ALL FURTHER CONTACTS WITH THE THREE OBSERVER 
COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN THE ANGOLAN PEACE PROCESS.  V-O-A SOUTHERN 
AFRICA CORRESPONDENT ALEX BELIDA REPORTS ANALYSTS SAY THE 
DECISION IS A DISTURBING ONE.
TEXT:  UNITA ACCUSES THE UNITED STATES, PORTUGAL, AND RUSSIA OF  
DISQUALIFYING THEMSELVES FROM THE PEACE PROCESS BY FAILING TO 
ABIDE BY THE CRITERIA OF NEUTRALITY AND IMPARTIALITY.
A COMMUNIQUE SENT BY THE REBEL MOVEMENT TO NEWS ORGANIZATIONS  
(MONDAY)  ATTACKS AS RIDICULOUS AND UNWISE THE POLICY OF THE 
UNITED STATES, WHICH RECENTLY IMPOSED NEW ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON 
UNITA.  IT ACCUSES RUSSIA, WHICH RECENTLY SIGNED A MILITARY 
COOPERATION ACCORD WITH THE LUANDA GOVERNMENT, OF VIOLATING ITS 
PLEDGE  NOT  TO SELL ARMS TO EITHER SIDE.  IT  ALSO CRITICIZES 
PORTUGAL FOR ALLEGEDLY SIDING WITH THE GOVERNMENT AGAINST THE 
REBEL MOVEMENT.
UNITA SAYS IT REMAINS COMMITTED TO THE PEACE PROCESS.  BUT IT 
SAYS UNITA CAN  NO  LONGER TOLERATE WHAT IT CLAIMS IS THE 
INTERFERENCE OF THE SO-CALLED "TROIKA" GROUP, WHO IT CHARGES HAVE
PUT THEIR OWN ECONOMIC INTERESTS AHEAD OF THE ANGOLAN PEACE 
EFFORT.
THERE HAS BEEN   NO  IMMEDIATE REACTION FROM OFFICIALS OF THE 
THREE OBSERVER STATES.  BUT ANALYSTS ARE ALREADY DESCRIBING 
UNITA'S DECISION AS DEEPLY DISTURBING, SAYING IT COULD BE A 
PRELUDE TO A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN IN PEACE TALKS.  
THE ANALYSTS SAY THAT BY ACCUSING THE GUARANTORS OF THE PEACE 
PROCESS OF BEING UNTRUSTWORTHY, UNITA HAS POSITIONED ITSELF TO 
SEVER FUTURE CONTACTS WITH BOTH THE GOVERNMENT IN LUANDA AND THE 
UNITED NATIONS, THE OTHER MAIN PARTICIPANTS.  
UNITA AND THE GOVERNMENT ADOPTED A U-N BROKERED PEACE PLAN FOUR 
YEARS AGO.  BUT IT HAS STILL  NOT  BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED.  THE 
UNITED NATIONS HAS  ACCUSED THE REBEL MOVEMENT OF STALLING BY 
HANGING ON TO KEY TOWNS IT PROMISED TO TURN OVER TO CENTRAL 
GOVERNMENT CONTROL.  IT ALSO HAS ACCUSED UNITA OF MAINTAINING AN 
ARMED FORCE DESPITE ITS PROMISE TO DEMILITARIZE COMPLETELY.  
(SIGNED)
NEB/BEL/JWH
24-Aug-98 10:24 AM EDT (1424 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.