32002E0991

Council Common Position

of 19 December 2002

lifting restrictive measures against the União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola (UNITA)and repealing Common Positions 97/759/CFSP and 98/425/CFSP

(2002/991/CFSP)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 15 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) On 18 October 2002, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1439(2002) repealing the travel restrictions imposed by Resolution 1127(1997).

(2) On 9 December 2002 the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1448(2002) repealing the sanctions imposed by Resolutions 864(1993), 1127(1997) and 1173(1998).

(3) The Council welcomes the steps taken by the Government of Angola and UNITA toward the full implementation of the "Acordos de Paz", the Lusaka Protocol, the Memorandum of Understanding of 4 April 2002, relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the declaration on the peace process issued by the Government of Angola on 19 November 2002 and the completion of the work of the Joint Commission, as expressed in the Joint Commission declaration signed on 20 November 2002.

(4) Council Common Position 97/759/CFSP of 30 October 1997 with regard to Angola and aimed at inducing the "União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola" (UNITA) to fulfil its obligations in the peace process(1), and Council Common Position 98/425/CFSP of 3 July 1998 concerning restrictive measures against the União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola (UNITA)(2) should therefore be repealed.

(5) Action by the Community is needed in order to implement the required measures,

HAS ADOPTED THIS COMMON POSITION:

Article 1

Council Common Positions 97/759/CFSP and 98/425/CFSP are hereby repealed.

Article 2

This Common Position shall take effect on the date of its adoption.

Article 3

This Common Position shall be published in the Official Journal.

Done at Brussels, 19 December 2002.

For the Council

The President

L. Espersen

(1) OJ L 309, 12.11.1997, p. 8.

(2) OJ L 190, 4.7.1998, p. 1.