Angola and Peace

THE COUNTRY: Angola is Africa’s fourth-largest nation with a population of about 10 million. Its economy has been hard-hit by the civil war; the main railway from Zaire and Zambia through Angola to the Atlantic Ocean has been closed for a decade. Oil accounts for most of the country’s exports.

THE CONFLICT: Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975 following 14 years of guerrilla warfare by three nationalist movements. On the eve of independence a power-sharing accord among the three groups broke down, leaving the Soviet-backed Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in power in Luanda.

The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), backed by South Africa, and the National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA), supported by Zaire, began fighting to unseat the MPLA.

Cuba also backed the MPLA, and the United States aided UNITA and others. Congress cut off aid to UNITA in 1976 but restored it in 1986.

In 1985, the FNLA abandoned the conflict. Angola, Cuba and South Africa signed an agreement in December, 1988, agreeing to a phased Cuban withdrawal, an end to South African aid to UNITA and independence for Namibia, to the south.

In June, 1989, Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi met in Zaire and agreed to a cease-fire. It collapsed within weeks.

Portugal began mediating peace talks in April, 1990.

THE PEACE ACCORDS: The agreements signed Friday in Lisbon are the product of a decade of negotiations sponsored by the United States, the Soviet Union and Portugal. The main points are:

Immediate cease-fire: It will be monitored by a United Nations force. Angolan government and UNITA forces are to gather at U.N.-supervised control points.

Multi-party elections: To be held between September and November, 1992. Dates will be fixed later.

Military: UNITA and MPLA will each provide 50% of a united Angolan army of 40,000. The air force and navy will be government troops but open to former UNITA fighters. Military personnel are to cut party links.

Transition period: The MPLA government will remain in power until elections. A joint military and political commission comprising representatives from the government, UNITA, Portugal, the United States and the Soviet Union will help prepare for elections.

UNITA’s future: It will be that of a legalized entity under multi-party legislation approved by the Angolan Parliament.