In an interview with the Portuguese newspaper Expresso, Eugenio Manuvakola - leader of the faction known as Unita Renovado - also called for international intervention to bring an end to Angola's civil war.

Mr Manuvakola said he did not regret having been part of the Unita delegation at the talks which led to the 1994 Lusaka protocol, which provided for a ceasefire and a government of national unity.

But he added: "The Unita cadres who collaborated in good faith with this policy were betrayed by Savimbi. Negotiations now would change nothing. Savimbi will never hand over his weapons."

Jonas Savimbi: Estimated to control at least 35,000 soldiers

Since the signing of the Lusaka protocol, forces led by Dr Savimbi have once again taken up arms against the Luanda government, and now exercise exclusive control over large parts of the country.

But Mr Manuvakola denied that Unita was at war with the Angolan government.

"To speak of a war between the Angolan government and Unita is an injustice and disrespectful to Unita, which is currently a democratic party, fully integrated in the Angolan institutional system."

"The war is being waged by a rebel called Savimbi who rebuilt Unita's old army and is using it to serve his ambitions."

Call for intervention

Mr Manuvakola expressed doubts over whether the United Nations sanctions against Dr Savimbi's forces would be effective.

"Thousands of Angolans are dying and hunger kills more people than bullets. UN sanctions may not be enough and the international community should intervene with the necessary means to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe, as it did in Kosovo."

Commenting on Dr Savimbi's continuing military capability, Mr Manuvakola emphasised that Dr Savimbi's soldiers were not volunteers: "Angolan youths do not have any choice. They must obey whoever controls militarily the area where they live."

He added that Dr Savimbi had recovered almost all the soldiers who were confined to UN camps for three years under the terms of a peace accord.

"During that period he did not pay any money for their upkeep or that of their families, so he was able to spend all his revenue on buying weapons."