UNITA travel ban to be lifted, sanctions reviewed

The UN Security Council has decided to lift the travel ban on UNITA as of 14 November 2002, with a view towards the possible lifting of other sanctions against Angola's former rebel movement.

The Security Council also extended the mandate of a panel monitoring sanctions against the UNITA by two months.

The "monitoring mechanism" was asked to detail plans for consultations in Angola with representatives of both the government and UNITA "with a view to ... contributing towards a full review by the Council of the measures imposed against UNITA once the peace process has been completed," a UN statement said.

Particular attention will be given to tracking down UNITA funds and financial resources that were frozen under sanctions, as well as an assessment of possible violations of the UNITA sanctions since the two sides signed their 4 April ceasefire agreement.

Friday's Security Council resolution requested that the monitoring panel provide information on possible violations of the arms embargo, which has been in place since 1993, and the prohibitions, which date back to 1998, against the import of Angolan diamonds not controlled by the government.

"The Secretary-General was asked to appoint two experts to serve on the monitoring mechanism, cutting in half the original panel's membership," the statement said.

The Security Council initially imposed sanctions against UNITA in 1993 when the then rebel group pulled out of a peace accord signed with the government. A series of subsequent resolutions by the Security Council had tightened the sanctions.

UNITA leader Paulo Lukamba "Gato" had earlier told IRIN that his party had always considered the UN sanctions to be "unfair and excessive". Lifting of sanctions would "free our party so that it is able to compete on an equal footing with other parties in the electoral programme which has already been announced," he said.