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Initials RH/2248 RH/YA/AH/2300


TELERECORDING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The United Nations Security Council after a debate lasting five days, on Wednesday night (31 March) condemned South Africa for aggression against Angola and demanded full compensation for the damage and destruction caused in the action.

The condemnation came in a resolution which was approved by the bare minimum of nine votes required for adoption.

This reflected the view of some members of the 15-nation council that the draft of the resolution failed to include condemnation of the Soviet Union and Cuba for their role in the recent Angolan civil war.

The United States, Britain, France, Italy and Japan all abstained because of the omission.

China, among the most vocal critics of Soviet and Cuban intervention in Angola during the debate, declared it was not participating in the vote.

There had been speculation that it might exercise its vote on the resolution which was sponsored by Benin (formerly Dahomey), Guyana, Libya, Panama, Romania and Tanzania.

The six sponsors were joined by Pakistan, Sweden and the Soviet Union in voting for the resolution.

Other provisions of the resolution call on South Africa to scrupulously respect Angola's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to desist from using the disputed territory of Namibia (South West Africa) to mount "provocative or aggressive acts" against Angola or any other neighbouring African state.

The resolution also called on South Africa to "meet the just claims of the People's Republic of Angola for a full compensation for the damage and destruction inflicted on its state and for the restoration of the equipment and materials which its invading forces seized."
Britain and France both abstained from voting in the resolution partly because they felt that the Security Council was not a court of law and could not entertain such claims.

South African sources said they had done better than expected since the resolution had been adopted by the barest majority and without the support of any of the big five permanent council members except the Soviet Union.

SYNOPSIS: Ambassador Thomas Boya of Benin, President of the United Nations Security Council, calling for a vote on a resolution condemning South Africa for aggression against Angola and demanding full compensation for the damage and destruction caused in the action.

The resolution was approved by the bare minimum of nine votes required for adoption. There was no vote against, but the United States, Britain, France, Italy and Japan abstained and China did not participate. This reflected the view of some council members that the draft resolution failed to condemn the Soviet Union and Cuba for their-role in the recent Angolan civil war.

The resolution was sponsored by Benin, Guyana, Libya, Panama, Romania and Tanzania. The six sponsors were jointed by Pakistan, Sweden and the Soviet Union in voting for the resolution.

The resolution calls on South Africa to scrupulously respect Angola's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. It demands that South Africa desist from using the disputed territory of South West Africa to mount provocative or aggressive acts against Angola or any neighbouring African state. it also calls on South Africa to meet what it calls the just claims of Angola for a full compensation for the damage and destruction inflicted on the state and for the restoration of the equipment and materials which its invading forces seized.