DATE=4/17/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248245
TITLE=CONGO TALKS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=KELLYS KAUNDA
DATELINE=LUSAKA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
(UNVOICED SCRIPT)
INTRO: REBELS FIGHTING TO OUST CONGO KINSHASA PRESIDENT LAURENT
KABILA HAVE WALKED OUT OF PEACE TALKS IN LUSAKA, ZAMBIA.
REPORTER KELLYS KAUNDA REPORTS FROM THE ZAMBIAN CAPITAL THAT THE
TALKS WERE INTENDED TO WORK OUT DETAILS OF A POSSIBLE CEASE-FIRE
AGREEMENT.
TEXT: REBEL DELEGATION LEADER KALENGA KYALUMBA TOLD JOURNALISTS
SATURDAY THE WALKOUT WAS INTENDED TO PROTEST AGAINST WHAT THE
REBELS VIEWED AS A BIASED AGENDA.
MR. KYALUMBA SAYS THE AGENDA DID NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE
CONCERNS OF THE REBELS. HE SAYS IT ONLY REFLECTED ITEMS THAT
WERE EARLIER SUBMITTED BY ALLIES OF PRESIDENT KABILA.
HE SAYS ANOTHER FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE REBEL WALK OUT WAS
THAT THE REBELS WERE NOT GIVEN ENOUGH TIME TO STUDY THE AGENDA.
DESPITE THE WALKOUT, MR. KYALUMBA SAYS THE MEETING WAS PARTIALLY
SUCCESSFUL AS THE REBELS WERE ALLOWED FOR THE FIRST TIME TO
NEGOTIATE DIRECTLY WITH THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE CONFLICT.
THE REBELS ARE BACKED BY RWANDA AND UGANDA. CONGO-KINSHASA HAS
THE MILITARY SUPPORT OF NAMIBIA AND ZIMBABWE.
THE REBEL WALKOUT HAS CAST A SHADOW ON THE PROSPECTS FOR A
PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF THE CONGO CONFLICT. HOWEVER, PRESIDENT
FREDERICK CHILUBA OF ZAMBIA, HOST OF THE LATEST TALKS, SAYS HE IS
OPTIMISTIC THAT THE LUSAKA NEGOTIATIONS WILL END THE WAR.
THE NEXT MEETING ON CONGO KINSHASA IS EXPECTED TO BRING TOGETHER
MINISTERS OF DEFENSE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS FROM THE EASTERN AND
SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGION. (SIGNED)
NEB/KK/BEL/DW/GE
17-Apr-99 1:31 PM EDT (1731 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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