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DATE=1/19/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244349
TITLE=CONGO TALKS (L-O)
BYLINE=DELIA ROBERTSON
DATELINE=JOHANNESBURG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  FIVE SOUTHERN AFRICAN STATES INVOLVED IN THE CIVIL WAR IN
THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO HAVE AGREED TO SIGN A 
CEASEFIRE.  BUT AS V-O-A'S DELIA ROBERTSON REPORTS FROM OUR 
SOUTHERN AFRICA BUREAU, THE AGREEMENT DOES NOT YET INCLUDE THE 
GOVERNMENT OF CONGO-KINSHASA.
TEXT:  NAMIBIAN PRESIDENT SAM NUJOMA SAYS ANGOLA, NAMIBIA, AND 
ZIMBABWE WILL SIGN A CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT WITH RWANDA AND UGANDA. 
RWANDA AND UGANDA ARE BACKING THE REBELS FIGHTING THE GOVERNMENT 
OF CONGO-KINSHASA, WHILE THE OTHER STATES HAVE TROOPS FIGHTING 
ALONGSIDE GOVERNMENT FORCES.  MR. NUJOMA SAID THE AGREEMENT WILL 
BE SIGNED IN ZAMBIA ON A DATE YET TO BE ANNOUNCED.
MR NUJOMA, WHO WAS SPEAKING IN WINDHOEK AFTER TALKS BETWEEN THE 
FIVE COUNTRIES, SAID THE REBELS WILL ALSO SIGN A CEASEFIRE, BUT 
IT WILL BE A SEPARATE DOCUMENT.  REPORTS FROM WINDHOEK SAY THE 
REBELS DID NOT SEND A DELEGATION TO THE TALKS.  AN EARLIER 
CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT WAS NEVER IMPLEMENTED.
THIS WAS THE 15TH ROUND OF TALKS AIMED AT BRINGING PEACE TO 
CONGO-KINSHASA SINCE THE CIVIL WAR BEGAN LAST AUGUST.  A MAJOR 
STICKING POINT HAS BEEN THE REFUSAL OF CONGO-KINSHASA PRESIDENT 
LAURENT KABILA TO TALK TO THE REBELS.  MR KABILA HAS DISMISSED 
THE REBELLION, DESCRIBING IT AS -- A FRONT FOR AGGRESSION BY 
RWANDA AND UGANDA.
INDEPENDENT SOUTHERN AFRICAN OBSERVERS SAY NAMIBIA, ANGOLA, AND 
ZIMBABWE ARE ALL FACING DOMESTIC PRESSURES TO END THEIR MILITARY 
INVOLVEMENT IN CONGO-KINSHASA.
ANGOLA IS FIGHTING A CIVIL WAR AGAINST THE REBEL "UNITA" MOVEMENT
LED BY JONAS SAVIMBI.  OBSERVERS SAY THE PROSPECTS OF A RAPID 
ESCALATION OF THAT WAR MEANS ANGOLA WANTS TO REDEPLOY, TO ANGOLA,
ITS TROOPS IN CONGO-KINSHASA.
NAMIBIA AND ZIMBABWE BOTH HAVE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS.  ZIMBABWE IN 
PARTICULAR IS IN DIRE ECONOMIC STRAIGHTS AND MANY ZIMBABWEANS SAY
THE COST OF KEEPING TROOPS IN CONGO-KINSHASA IS ADDING TO THEIR 
ECONOMIC WOES.   (SIGNED)
NEB/DAR/RAE/JO
19-Jan-99 6:06 AM EST (1106 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.