UNITED NATIONS The UN Security Council could consider new measures against Angola's former rebel force UNITA if progress was not made toward implementing peace accords, the council presdient said Thursday. If the parties fail to implement (the peace plan), the Security Council would consider imposing further measures, Kenyan Ambassador Njuguma Moses Mahugu said. While he did not explicitly name the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) in his comments, diplomats here have pointed the finger at the former rebel movement as being the main obstacle to implementation of the 1994 Lusaka Peace Accord. UNITA is already under UN sanctions limiting the movement of its leaders for dragging its feet on implementation of the accords.

The last clauses of the accords are due to go into force at the end of May. By then, UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi must have demobilized all his remaining troops. Luanda has blamed frequent raids by armed gangs on renegade UNITA troops, while UNITA has accused government forces of committing atrocities in the region. And UN diplomats attributed to UNITA troops the ambush Tuesday that left an Angolan interpreter working for the United Nations dead and two other UN employees injured.

The council expressed its concern on the alarming situation in Angola (and) condemned the most recent attack on MONUA (UN Mission to Angola) personnel, Mahugu said. (AFP)