New UN push for Namibian break

The UN Security Council is expected to adopt unanimously a resolution reaffirming its push for the independence of Namibia (South-West Africa), Monitor special correspondent Louis Wiznitzer reports.

The Security Council vote, which would reaffirm the Council's earlier Resolution 435 on Namibia, provides for a cease-fire between South African troops and rebel fighters, deployment of UN peacekeeping forces and observers, and UN-supervised elections. Namibia is currently administered by South Africa. The new resolution requests the UN secretary-general, Javier Perez de Cuellar, to consult with all the parties concerned in order to bring about the cease-fire and to set a calendar for carrying out the resolution.

The United States and South Africa have sought to link potential Namibian independence with a pullout of Cuban troops from neighboring Angola - but the resolution establishes no such link. The Council will meet again in September to hear the secretary-general's report.