DRC UPDATE
African Leaders Want Speedy Peace Process In DRC
June 26, 2000
Rangarirai Shoko
PANA Correspondent
HARARE, Zimbabwe (PANA) - Leaders of three southern African states whose troops are in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to defend the government of President Laurent Kabila against a rebel insurgency have said that they want to see a speedy process of bringing peace in that country.
Speaking to journalists after a one-day consultation in Harare on Sunday, the leaders of Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe said they were determined to see the DRC peace process, which envisages the deployment of 5,000 UN peace- keepers in July, implemented "in full and speedily."
The talks, hosted by President Robert Mugabe, were attended by Namibian President Sam Nujoma and President Kabila. Angola's ambassador to Zimbabwe, Bento Ribeiro represented President Jose Edouardo Dos Santos.
They urged the United Nations to force former allies, Rwanda and Uganda, to withdraw from the northern Congolese city of Kisangani where their troops fought each other for six days two weeks ago in violation of a cease-fire agreement.
Rwanda and Uganda have been the main supporters of the rebel insurgency in the DRC.
The UN, which has promised to deploy peacekeepers in the DRC if the cease-fire brokered by Zambia holds, has ordered both Rwanda and Uganda to withdraw from the Congo, and threatened to impose sanctions on them if they fail to comply.
President Mugabe said the armies backing the DRC government would be withdrawn as soon as the UN deploys its peace-keepers in the vast central African country.
regards
john
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