Annan advises pull-out
James Muir

In a bold move on Monday, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan recommended that the UN leave Angola. In a lengthy statement prepared for the Security Council, Annan stated that all UN military personnel should leave the war-torn African nation as soon as possible. The report suggested that the 1000 strong force should be gradually withdrawn, ending with no troop presence by the 20th of March.

The move was expected by many in the international community after the resumption of all-out fighting between government and rebel UNITA troops and the recent downing of two UN chartered planes. The report is critical of the warring factions and their inability to maintain the fragile truce that had existed between them.

The United Nations has spent many years and millions of dollars trying to achieve peace after the nation gained its independence from Portugal in 1975. Though, Angolan authorities have made it explicitly clear that a UN presence is no longer desired and have reflected this in their intimidation tactics designed to force the UN to leave the country.

Annan has stated the presumed shooting down of the two UN-chartered planes, which crashed December 26th and January 4th, over the highlands, was an ěindication that the warring sides were trying to intimidate the UN into leaving.î He also went on to say that the UN in the past was rarely able to sustain a peacekeeping force in a country where it was not wanted. This was the case because the governments themselves were responsible for the safety of the UN staff.

The two warring sides maintain that the conflict has been fueled by UN meddling. Mr. Annan flatly rejects this and places the blame on UNITA for failing to demilitarize and turn over its strongholds.

Although, this latest development in the Angolan crisis is only a statement and not a decision by the Security Council, the Secretary Generalís recommendations are typically held quite high. Advisors to the various delegations on the Security Council were booking meetings with Annan yesterday, most likely with the purpose of developing a resolution calling for a pull-out of Angola.