Angola waits on Savimbi

LUANDA (Reuter) - Angola is awaiting fresh peace proposals from the Unita leader, Jonas Savimbi, following his rebel movement's capture of Huambo, the country's second-largest city. Unita radio said yesterday that Mr Savimbi would broadcast to the nation today to outline his ideas on future peace negotiations with the government and the organisation of humanitarian aid for victims of the conflict.

Luanda conceded on Sunday that it had lost Huambo, in the central highlands, spiritual capital of Unita. It was the government's biggest military setback since Angola's civil war resumed in earnest two months ago after Unita lost United Nations-supervised elections in September. The end of fighting in Huambo has raised hopes that aid agencies may soon be able to restart humanitarian assistance programmes in the central highlands.