Stakes in Namibia raised as Angola-S. Africa conflict flares. . . but UN observers see progress toward a solution

For the second time in four weeks, Angola has convened the Security Council in order to ask it to bring South African military operations inside its territory to a halt.

Meanwhile, Angola has informed United Nations Secretary General Javier Perez De Cuellar that it is ready to accept the recent South African proposals for a temporary and limited mutual military disengagement specifying however that one condition be added to an agreement: that South Africa start implementing the UN plan for Namibian independence by March 15. UN observers consider it unlikely that Pretoria will do so before its concerns on Cubans in Angola are addressed.

Diplomats say it is unlikely that South Africa will accept this condition since it fails to address South Africa's concern regarding the presence of Cuban troops in Angola. But Angola's generally speaking positive reply to the proposals is seen here as laying the ground for a new round of indirect and perhaps direct talks between the two countries. Recently Angolan-US and Angolan-South African talks had been discontinued.