1.brief introduction of the Angolan question

Angola, a former colony of Portugal, won independence in 1975. Since then the Angolan government led by MPLA (People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola ) has been bogged down in a long civil war against the National Union for Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). Angola remains one of the hot spots in Africa.

In May 1991, the Angolan government and UNITA signed in Lisbon, Portugal. Following that, the first national multi-party election in Angolan history was held in September 1992. The UNITA, unhappy with its defeat in the election, refused to accept the election results; and the flames of civil war rekindled. Then after some talks, the Angolan government and UNITA signed in November 1994, which included such contents as cease-fire, dissolution of the UNITA armed forces and participation in the central and local governments by UNITA members etc. The peace process, however, moved on slowly and with twists and turns in the following years. A government of national unity and reconciliation led by MPLA was formed in April 1997. UNITA members also joined the government.

Since Match 1998, UNITA again refused to implement the Peace Agreement. The internal situation in Angola became tense and the peace process came to a deadlock. Then in September that same year some UNITA high-ranking officials formed "the Revolutionary Council for Reform of UNITA" and expressed their opposition to the policy of Savimbi, the president of UNITA, favouring cooperation with the government. In November, civil war broke out again. Since September 1999, the Angolan government has made a series of military victories and taken control of 92 % of the country at present. The main strength of the armed forces of UNITA has been destroyed. The Angolan government announced that a general election would be held in the later part of 2002.

Due to the fact that UNITA refused to implement the Lusaka Protocol and relevant UN resolutions, the UN Security Council adopted three resolutions of sanction against UNITA respectively in September 1993, October 1997 and July 1998, imposing an embargo on arms for UNITA, restricting UNITA leaders travelling abroad and prohibiting UNITA from doing diamond business. The Security Council again passed resolution strengthening the existing sanction in April 2000. Meanwhile the Security Council announced its Chairman's Statements indicating that UNITA should be held responsible for the suspense of the peace process and demanding it should earnestly discharge all its obligations provided in the Lusaka Protocol and UN resolutions.

The UN dispatched a 7000-strong peacekeeping force to Angola in 1995. Later the UN changed its peacekeeping force into UN Observer Group in July 1997. The UN Observer Group stopped its work since February 1999 at the request of the Angolan government. In October of the same year, UN decided to set up an office in Angola at the invitation of the Angolan government.

2. Stand of the Chinese government

China always firmly supports the peace process of Angola. China generally does not advocate measures such as imposing sanction on any country in international affairs. However, to promote the peace process in Angola, China voted for the sanction resolutions on Angola problem in the Security Council. The Chinese government notes with concern the development of Angolan situation, supports the Angolan government in its efforts to realize internal peace in the country, and holds that the main reason for the repeated setbacks of the peace process is that UNITA did not fully implement the Lusaka Protocol and relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. At present, the international community should strictly observe the relevant resolutions adopted in the Security Council, hence forcing UNITA back to the right track of the Lusaka Protocol. At the same time, the Chinese government holds that the final solution of the Angolan question rests on political dialogue between the parties involved. The Chinese government is ready to join hands with the international community to play a more positive role for an early realization of peace and national reconciliation in Angola.