Breakthrough reported after Maputo talks: ONUMOZ mandate renewed.

The Security Council on 5 November renewed the mandate of the UN Operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) for six months. It also authorized Secretary- General Boutros Boutros-Ghali to proceed with selection and deployment of 128 UN police observers, which had been approved in 1992.

Unanimously adopting resolution 882 (1993), the Council requested the Secretary-General to report regularly on whether the parties had made sufficient progress towards implementing the General Peace Agreement signed in Rome on 4 October 1992 and meeting the revised time-table for holding the elections by October 1994.

In resolution 882, the Council strongly urged the parties not to raise any further issues which might jeopardize the Agreement's implementation and called on the Mozambican Government and the Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana (RENAMO) to build on progress achieved and respect fully all provisions of the Agreement, particularly those concerning the cease-fire and movement of troops.

Commending the agreements reached in direct talks between Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano and RENAMO leader Afonso Dhlakama, the Council urged the parties to commence assembly of troops in November and initiate demobilization by January 1994 to ensure completion of the process by May 1994.

The Council wanted: the National Police Affairs Commission and the Commission of Information to be "immediately operational"; approval of an electoral law and establishment of an electoral commission by 30 November; and complete demobilization of troops by 31 May 1994, as well as accelerated progress in training and integrating forces in the Mozambican Defence Forces.

The Council also called for international financial support for the peace process, and speedy repatriation and resettlement of refugees and displaced persons.

In another action, the Council, by resolution 879, had on 29 October extended the ONUMOZ mandate until 5 November.

On 1 November, the Secretary-General reported (S/26666) that during a recent visit to Maputo (17-20 October), significant progress had been made in removing obstacles impeding the Agreement's implementation. The breakthrough Justified a continued UN presence in Mozambique.

In addition to assembly, demobilization, and disarmament issues, the Maputo talks resulted in agreement on composition of the elections commission, the electoral law, other national commissions, and guidelines for the cease-fire commission related to troop movements.

Repatriation of some 1.5 million Mozambicans in six countries-malawi, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe-is currently under way.