Envoys Consult Mugabe Over DRC Cease-fire
November 18, 1999
HARARE, Zimbabwe (PANA) - Shuttle diplomacy to end the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo have picked up pace around Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, who has sent troops to back President Laurent Kabila's government.
Rwanda and Congo sent senior envoys to deliver presidential messages to Zimbabwe's leader Wednesday, in what diplomats said appeared to be concerted regional efforts to ensure a shaky 10 July truce was not shattered.
Kabila dispatched justice minister Mwenze Kongolo while Rwanda's president, Pasteur Bizimungu, sent presidential affairs minister Patrick Mazimhaka.
"As you know, it has been a long time since the two leaders met. President Kabila was appraising President Mugabe on the situation in the DRC as allies," Kongolo said.
The truce in the vast country, brokered by Zambian President Frederick Chiluba, appeared to collapse last week after each side accused the other of resuming fighting.
Rwanda and Uganda back three Congolese rebel groups, which threatened to withdraw from the Lusaka Peace agreement because government forces had launched attacks on their troop positions.
The government denied the charges, and accused the rebels of violating the cease-fire by gaining more ground.
Kabila's government is supported by thousands of troops from Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe which rescued it from imminent overthrow by the rebels in 1998.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni met Mugabe Sunday on the sidelines of the Commonwealth summit in Durban, South Africa, to discuss the faltering peace process.
Zimbabwean government officials said Mugabe was co-ordinating regional diplomatic efforts to put the truce back on track and to secure the UN's long-delayed supervision of the cease-fire.
"The president is co-ordinating the efforts to end the war. We should be seeing some positive movement in that direction soon," a Zimbabwean diplomat said.
The Organisation of African Unity has already deployed its first military observers in Congo to lay the groundwork for the expected larger UN contingent.
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regards
john |
