Direct Talks Raise Hopes for Truce in Angola
Angola’s civil war foes appeared Friday to be inching toward a truce to halt the world’s bloodiest conflict after meeting for direct talks without their U.N. mediator, diplomatic sources said.
Top officials of Angola’s government and UNITA rebels met over breakfast at a hotel in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, to discuss critical political questions that could derail a proposed cease-fire.
It was the second meeting within a week between the two sides that did not include U.N. mediator Alioune Blondin Beye, who has been chairing Angolan peace talks since Nov. 15.
The United Nations estimates that the 18-year civil war in the southern African country kills about 1,000 people a day, and millions are threatened by an ensuing famine.
Diplomatic sources said they are greatly encouraged by the talks, but gave no details of what substantive issues were discussed.
From all accounts, it appeared that technical details of the proposed cease-fire had been wrapped up. These included giving the United Nations a leading role in implementing, monitoring, enforcing and verifying the truce.
But political issues about UNITA’s role in a postwar Angola still separated the rivals.
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