Letter: Ceasefire in Angola

Sir: The Independent's news item on Angola on 13 August was misleadingly entitled 'Savimbi's offer rejected'.

I would like to make it clear that the Angolan government, having committed itself to a peaceful settlement of the bloody conflict started by Unita about 10 months ago, has never rejected any of the various ceasefire proposals made since then. Unita, on the other hand, has violated every ceasefire it has signed.

Following the Unita leader's call for a ceasefire in an interview with a foreign news agency, Angola's Prime Minister, Marcolino Moco, pointed out that if Jonas Savimbi really wanted a cessation of hostilities, he should have made the call through appropriate channels, such as Unavem II, the United Nations mission in Angola.

Yours truly,

RUI MANGUEIRA

Charge d'Affaires

Embassy of the Republic

of Angola

London, W1