Relations sour over delay in election date

Relations between the Angolan authorities and the main opposition party, UNITA, appeared to have soured once again over the delay in announcing a date for the country's first post-war elections. On Monday a senior UNITA official told IRIN that the party would continue to boycott the constitutional commission laying the groundwork for a national poll until "the government showed real commitment" to establishing an electoral timetable in preparation for the national poll. UNITA failed to attend a meeting of the commission last week on Thursday, which would reportedly have discussed a letter sent to parliament by President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, asking the legislature to ready the legal framework for holding the long-awaited polls in 2006. Alcides Sakala, UNITA's secretary for public administration, told IRIN: "We cannot say when we will return to the commission because it depends on the actions of the president. About two weeks ago it seemed as if the government was committed to broader consultations with all the political players in Angola, but now there appears to be no negotiation." UNITA had pushed for elections to be held in late 2005, but the ruling MPLA, which has laid out 14 tasks to be completed before the country can hold its first ballot since 1992, favoured a poll in 2006. Dos Santos has insisted that the revision of the country's constitution is a key prerequisite for holding an election, but Sakala noted that this was not necessary, as the existing constitutional framework was adequate. "The country would do fine if certain amendments were made to the electoral laws, instead of waiting for the whole constitution to be changed. But we will remain open to dialogue," he added. Opposition parties walked out of the commission in May, after months of urging the authorities to set a date for presidential and legislative elections.