30 May 2000
Text: U.S., Angola Issue Joint Communiqué, Reeker Says
(State Dept. acting spokesman announcement of May 26) (640) U.S. and Angola government officials issued a joint communiqué summarizing bilateral talks they held May 25-26 in Luanda, Angola, State Department Acting Spokesman Philip Reeker said on May 26. Following is the text of Reeker's statement and the text of the joint communiqué: (begin text) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman May 26, 2000 STATEMENT BY PHILIP T. REEKER, ACTING SPOKESMAN COMMUNIQUE OF THE U.S.-ANGOLA BILATERAL CONSULTATIVE COMMISSION LUANDA, MAY 26, 2000 U.S. and Angolan officials met in Luanda, Angola, May 25-26 for the second meeting of the U.S.-Angola Bilateral Consultative Commission. Following is the text of the communiqué they released upon the conclusion of their discussions. (begin text of communiqué) Angolan and U.S. government officials met in Luanda, May 25-26, for the second meeting of the U.S.-Angola Bilateral Consultative Commission, or BCC. The BCC, which was established last September, has provided a useful forum for officials of the two governments to engage in frank discussions on a broad range of issues of mutual interest. Vice Minister of External Relations, Jorge Chicote, led the Angolan delegation. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Susan E. Rice, headed the U.S. delegation. Representatives of the U.S. and Angolan private sectors also participated actively in most of the BCC discussions, particularly those concerning economic development and social issues. The two sides agreed on the importance of continuing the search for a peaceful conclusion to Angola's civil war, including through a comprehensive program of social, political, and economic reform in Angola. U.S. officials were briefed on the democratic process and constitutional reform and encouraged the Angolan government to create the conditions for free, fair, and transparent national elections next year and offered to help Angola put in place procedures to facilitate this process. Both sides agreed that respect for press freedom is important to the process of democratic development in Angola, in the context of due process and the rule of law. The U.S. commended the Angolan government for progress in reaching agreement with the IMF on a Staff Monitored Program, for its privatization plans, and for the decision to proceed with a diagnostic of the petroleum sector. Angolan officials reiterated their firm commitment to sustain the economic reform process underway, and recognized the urgent need to revise the private investment system. The U.S. agreed to provide technical assistance to help reform Angola's commercial and foreign investment codes, and invited Angolan officials to utilize the expertise in the U.S. Department of Energy in helping to promote sustainable energy development in Angola. Angolan and U.S. officials discussed the continuing humanitarian crisis confronting Angola as a result of the civil war, and the importance of responding effectively to the challenge of HIV/AIDS in order to help prevent it from escalating. Angolan officials provided a briefing on their national HIV/AIDS program and expressed their intention to increase significantly annual spending to combat the disease. They also agreed to provide a progress report on implementation of Angola's HIV/AIDS strategy at the next meeting of the BCC. The U.S. announced an HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention program in the amount of $3 million over three years and, along with representatives of the U.S. private sector proposed a public-private partnership with the Angolan government to undertake an extensive HIV/AIDS information, education, and public awareness campaign. The U.S. committed to provide $38 million in support of humanitarian relief efforts, and encouraged the Angolan Government to make additional investments in the social sector. The U.S. and Angolan delegations agreed that their next meeting would be held in Washington later this year. (end text of communiqué) (end text) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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