Angola seeks quick end to war

Savimbi was laid out for viewing under a tree

Angola's president has said he wants to negotiate a quick ceasefire with Unita rebels, in his first public comments since the death of their leader Jonas Savimbi.

President Jose Eduardo dos Santos told reporters in Lisbon he now wanted to move quickly to end more than 25 years of civil war, normalise politics and hold elections within two years.

It is going to take a couple of generations to heal the 30 years of war. But we can do our part in forgetting what is behind and focusing on what is ahead

Chimoko, Angola

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The veteran Unita leader was killed by government troops on Friday - with television pictures showing his bullet-riddled body a day later.

Speaking ahead of a visit to the United States for talks with President George W Bush, Mr dos Santos said progress towards elections depended on achieving a ceasefire and demilitarising Unita this year.

"We aim to build bridges so that as soon as possible we can achieve a ceasefire that permits the demilitarisation of Unita," he said.

Unita moves

Meanwhile, Unita leaders have also been speaking about peace moves.

A Unita spokesman in Lisbon, Joffre Justinho, told the BBC that they were willing to participate in peace talks, but could not do so until the safety of its leaders was guaranteed.

Dos Santos is to visit the US, which used to back Unita

He said it was not clear who was now in charge of the movement, as all its leaders in Angola were hiding in the bush.

His views were echoed by the deputy speaker of parliament, Jaka Jamba - one of a small group of Unita members of parliament in Luanda.

Mr Jamba told the BBC that priority should be given to working out a ceasefire based on the abandoned 1994 Lusaka peace agreement.

He said this would enable Unita's various wings to come together at a conference to sort out their leadership.

International pressure

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has led international calls for renewed peace efforts, saying he hoped "all stakeholders would take advantage" of the new situation.

	Jonas Savimbi Born in 1934 in Bie province Fought the Angolan Government since independence in 1975 US President Ronald Reagan called him a "freedom fighter". Made a failed election bid in 1992 Rarely seen in public Click here for full profile

US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher called on both sides "to fulfil their obligation to bring peace to the Angolan people".

Portugal has called for a ceasefire.

Some observers are predicting Unita's collapse. Others say there will be a bitter power struggle within the movement.

Mr Jamba said that according to Unita's constitution the presidency of the movement now automatically passes to its former deputy president, Antonio Dembo - though his whereabouts are unknown.

A low-key memorial service has already been held in Lisbon for Mr Savimbi, attended by Portuguese politicians from both left and right wing parties.

The Unita leader's body was shown to reporters in Lucusse, a remote town in Moxico province, eastern Angola.

A Portuguese state television reporter, Alves Fernandes, said the Unita leader's body "sustained 15 bullet wounds, two in his head and the rest spread through his upper body and legs".

Long conflict

Unita has been fighting against the Luanda government since 1975, when civil war erupted after Angola's independence from Portugal.

The latest fighting is reported to have taken place south-east of Luena, in the east of the country.

Since late last year, the Angolan army has been waging a renewed military campaign against Unita in Moxico province, which was seen as the last rebel stronghold.

Jonas Savimbi founded Unita - the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola - in the late 1960s as a rival movement to the MPLA which later became the government.

The conflict is estimated to have killed more than 500,000 people, and displaced millions.