Angolan poll 'free and fair'

LONDON - The US has declared Angola's recent elections 'generally free and fair' and called for an early re-run of the presidential poll, writes Richard Dowden. President Jose Eduardo dos Santos polled 49.57 per cent to Jonas Savimbi's 40.07 but failed to achieve the clear 10-per-cent majority required under the election rules.

A spokesman for the US State Department said UN observers had found 'no major evidence of systematic or widespread fraud'. Representatives of three Western countries, including the US, flew to meet Mr Savimbi to persuade him to discuss a powersharing deal with the President.