Angola moves toward acccord

LUANDA - The Angolan political crisis moved a step towards resolution yesterday, when the government agreed not to release results of the first-ever general elections until inquiries into complaints of vote-rigging were completed, writes Karl Maier.

Announcement of the agreement came after a two-hour meeting between President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and Pik Botha, the South African Foreign Minister, who has emerged as a important mediator between the government and Jonas Savimbi's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (Unita).

Mr Botha said that Mr dos Santos agreed to meet Mr Savimbi as soon as possible. 'Both leaders are very much concerned about the necessity of unity, stability, and not resorting to any form of force,' he said.