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DATE=3/17/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RWANDA-UNITA SANCTIONS (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260295
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  Rwanda's ambassador to the United Nations 
today (Friday) categorically denied allegations that 
his government has been violating U-N sanctions 
against UNITA, the rebel group in Angola. VOA 
Correspondent Breck Ardery reports from the United 
Nations.  
TEXT:  Ambassador Joseph Mutaboba told reporters there 
is no foundation to charges in a Security Council 
committee report that Rwanda's government cooperated 
with UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi or anyone else in the 
rebel group. UNITA has been fighting a guerilla war 
against the Angolan government and the United Nations 
Security Council has been tightening international 
sanctions against UNITA for seven years.
The Council's Committee on UNITA sanctions recently 
issued a report that alleged that several nations had 
been violating the sanctions. Rwanda is accused of 
cooperating with UNITA military forces and allowing 
UNITA representatives to negotiate illegal diamond 
sales in Rwanda.
Ambassador Mutaboba absolutely denied any military 
cooperation with UNITA and said if there were any 
illegal diamond sales in Rwanda the dealers were there 
without his government's knowledge.
            ///Mutaboba act///
      I can not say that they (UNITA diamond dealers) 
      did not come to Rwanda. They may have come. It 
      is possible. But to say that they have the back-
      up and protection of Rwandan authorities is 
      totally wrong and a very serious allegation. 
      That is why we keep saying, tell us who they 
      were in touch with, when and where and who was 
      protecting them. Once we know who the dealers 
      and protectors are we will arrest them 
      immediately.
            ///end act///
The Rwandan ambassador said the Security Council's 
committee on UNITA sanctions found no real evidence 
that Rwanda had violated the sanctions and said the 
committee's investigators did a poor job.
Sanctions committee chairman Robert Fowler of Canada 
did not immediately respond to Mr. Mutaboba but Mr. 
Fowler recently told reporters he stands by the work 
of his investigators.
            ///Fowler act///
      The panel of investigators has done exactly what 
      we asked them to do. They have named names. They 
      have identified sanctions busting in terms of 
      who the "busters" are and the methods of 
      busting.
            ///end act///
Ambassador Fowler says he intends to press the 
Security Council to impose sanctions against those 
nations that violate sanctions against UNITA.(Signed)
NEB/UN/BA/LSF/PT
17-Mar-2000 14:47 PM EDT (17-Mar-2000 1947 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.