[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 75 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 75

                To support the peace process in Angola.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 25, 1993

  Mr. Johnston of Florida (for himself, Mr. Payne of New Jersey, Mr. 
 Gejdenson, Mr. Edwards of California, and Ms. McKinney) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                            Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
                To support the peace process in Angola.

Whereas on May 31, 1991, the Government of the Republic of Angola, under the 
        control of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola 
        (hereinafter in this resolution referred to as ``the MPLA''), and the 
        National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (hereinafter in this 
        resolution referred to as ``UNITA'') signed the Bicesse Peace Accords, 
        pledging both parties to full demobilization, the formation of a new 
        national army, and multiparty democratic elections;
Whereas the United States has agreed to recognize the Angolan Government based 
        on certified democratic elections and commitment in word and deed to the 
        Bicesse Peace Accords;
Whereas such elections were held on September 29 and 30, 1992, with 4,500,000 
        Angolans voting;
Whereas these elections were certified by the United Nations and determined by 
        an estimated 800 international observers to be generally free and fair 
        and without significant irregularities or systematic fraud;
Whereas the MPLA candidate for President, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, received 49.6 
        percent of the total vote and the UNITA candidate, Jonas Savimbi, 
        received 40.1 percent;
Whereas neither the MPLA, UNITA, nor any other major political party in Angola 
        contested the results of the legislative elections, in which the MPLA 
        won a clear victory;
Whereas the UNITA leadership immediately called into question the results of the 
        Presidential election, withdrew its forces from the newly unified army, 
        and subsequently retreated to its stronghold to launch a military 
        offensive;
Whereas life in Angola has been dramatically disrupted by the consequences of 
        350,000 casualties from 16 years of civil war, an estimated 20,000 
        additional deaths from the renewed conflict, more than 1,000,000 people 
        displaced, and 3,000,000 people threatened by hunger, disease, and land 
        mines;
Whereas the Angolan Government has continued to work with the United Nations to 
        resurrect a negotiated settlement through talks in Addis Ababa, while 
        UNITA has called for the removal of United Nations personnel from Angola 
        refused to participate in additional attempts to negotiate, and 
        threatened to carry out violence against United States companies 
        operating throughout Angola;
Whereas the United Nations Security Council has adopted a resolution expressing 
        grave concerns about the outbreak of fighting in Angola, urging both 
        sides to begin peace talks, and strongly condemning UNITA's persistent 
        violations of the Bicesse Peace Accords;
Whereas over the years the United States Government played a significant role in 
        Angola, providing extensive support for UNITA during the war and 
        facilitating the negotiations that led to the Bicesse Peace Accords;
Whereas the Clinton Administration has the opportunity to establish a new policy 
        with respect to Angola and utilize diplomatic resources to seek a 
        peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in Angola; and
Whereas an appropriate and strategic United States response to the crisis in 
        Angola will set an important precedent for United States action in newly 
        emerging democracies elsewhere in Africa: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),

SECTION 1. DECLARATIONS BY THE CONGRESS.

    The Congress--
            (1) deplores human rights violations committed by the MPLA-
        controlled government forces and UNITA;
            (2) condemns UNITA's refusal to negotiate, its attempts to 
        expand the war, including into areas where foreign companies 
        operate, and its apparent effort to disregard the democratic 
        process and to instead win a military victory in Angola; and
            (3) urges both parties to the conflict in Angola to act 
        swiftly to negotiate an immediate cease-fire and move 
        effectively to set a timetable for full implementation of the 
        Bicesse Peace Accords, including an agreement on a date for the 
        demobilization of military forces.

SEC. 2. ACTIONS THE UNITED STATES SHOULD TAKE.

    The Congress calls upon the President to--
            (1) accord diplomatic recognition of the Government of 
        Angola;
            (2) appoint a Special Envoy to be sent to Angola to 
        underscore United States interest in a political settlement and 
        to assist both sides in the negotiation of a cease-fire;
            (3) immediately urge the United Nations' Secretary General 
        to take whatever steps may be necessary to facilitate a cease-
        fire and build an acceptable climate for a Presidential run-off 
        in Angola, including increasing the United Nations' presence on 
        the ground to expedite a cease-fire and provide support for 
        demobilization and for other aspects of implementing the 
        Bicesse Peace Accords;
            (4) take immediate steps in the international community, 
        including sanctions or other necessary actions, to pressure any 
        nation or any party to the conflict determined to be 
        obstructing the evolution of peace in Angola; and
            (5) consider dispatching a team to Angola to assess the 
        humanitarian crisis and make recommendations for a United 
        States response to the crisis.

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