UNAVEM II created to verify peaceful transition.

• Position: UN Angola Verification Team created to verify Angola Peace Accords

On 31 May in Lisbon, a historic agreement for the cessation of hostilities and peaceful transition in Angola was signed between the Angolan Government and the National Union for the Total independence of Angola (UNITA).

The agreement was signed by Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and UNITA President Jonas Savimbi. Portuguese Prime Minister Anibal Cavaco Silva, mediator of the peace talks between the parties, presided over the ceremony which was also attended by the two observers of the peace talks, Soviet Foreign Minister Aleksandr Bessmertnykh and United States Secretary of State James A. Baker III.

Also witnessing the ceremony were Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda, Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU).

"It is a cause of great satisfaction that the statesmanship demonstrated by all those involved in this process has finally cleared the way for an end to a cruel war which for too long has ravaged Angola' the Secretary-General declared three days later at an OAU summit in Abuja, Nigeria.

The agreement-called the Peace Accords for Angola ("Acordos de Paz para Angola")-called for a de facto cease-fire from 15 May 1991 and the holding of elections to be completed by 30 November 1992.

On 30 May, the Security Council in New York established a new mandate for the UN Angola Verification Mission, created in 1988 to oversee withdrawal of Cuban troops from that nation. UNAVEM II-as the new operation is to be called-will carry out new verification tasks arising from the Angola Peace Accords until general elections in that country are completed.

Just before the signing of the agreement, the Secretary-General discussed with the Angolan President details of the UN role in implementing the Accords and plans for emergency assistance and economic reconstruction. The UN role was also discussed with the Presidents of UNITA and OAU.

The Secretary-General told the press that the parties had taken the political decision to fulfil the agreement since without an atmosphere of confidence, good faith and political will", the agreement would not be relevant.

He also congratulated the Portuguese Government for its great diplomatic success in bringing about the "historic agreement", which was important not only for Africa, but for the entire world community.

The Accords, he said, would "contribute to peace and development in southern Africa" and provide "an example for other parts of Africa...