• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=4/19/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248293
TITLE=CONGO TALKS (L ONLY)
BYLINE=TODD PITMAN
DATELINE=KIGALI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  THE PRESIDENT OF CONGO-KINSHASA, LAURENT KABILA, HAS 
SIGNED A PEACE DEAL WITH UGANDAN PRESIDENT YOWERI MUSEVENI, WHOSE
TROOPS ARE BACKING REBELS IN THEIR NINE-MONTH STRUGGLE AGAINST 
THE KABILA GOVERNMENT.  BUT AS TODD PITMAN REPORTS FROM KIGALI, 
BOTH THE REBELS AND THEIR MAIN ALLY, RWANDA, SAY THE AGREEMENT --
SIGNED SUNDAY IN LIBYA -- IS MEANINGLESS WITHOUT THE 
PARTICIPATION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE CONFLICT.
TEXT:  CONGOLESE REBEL LEADER ERNEST WAMBA DIA WAMBA SAYS ANY 
PEACE AGREEMENT THAT EXCLUDES THE REBELS WILL BE DIFFICULT TO 
BEING IMPLEMENT.
PROFESSOR WAMBA SAYS THE REBELS MAIN DEMAND -- FACE TO FACE TALKS
WITH PRESIDENT KABILA -- HAS REMAINED UNCHANGED AND UNMET SINCE 
THE REBELLION BEGAN LAST AUGUST.
A SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IN RWANDA, WHOSE TROOPS ARE BACKING 
REBELS IN THE SOUTH, ALSO EXPRESSED SIMILAR SENTIMENTS.  BOTH 
PROFESSOR WAMBA AND RWANDAN OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE  NOT  EVEN 
AWARE OF THE CONTENTS OF THE AGREEMENT.
LIBYAN TELEVISION REPORTED THAT THE PEACE DEAL -- WHICH CALLS FOR
A CEASEFIRE, THE DEPLOYMENT OF AFRICAN PEACEKEEPERS, AND THE 
WITHDRAWAL OF ALL FOREIGN TROOPS -- WAS BROKERED AT A MINI-SUMMIT
ARRANGED BY LIBYAN LEADER MUAMMAR GADHAFI ON SUNDAY.
TROOPS FROM ZIMBABWE, ANGOLA, NAMIBIA, AND CHAD ARE ALL OPENLY 
BACKING PRESIDENT KABILA'S GOVERNMENT ARMY.  BUT OF THOSE ALLIES,
ONLY THE CHADIAN PRESIDENT SIGNED THE ACCORD.
THE NEWS COMES AMID FLURRY OF PEACE EFFORTS SEEKING AN END TO THE
CONFLICT.
REBEL ENVOYS SAT DOWN AT THE SAME TABLE WITH OFFICIALS FROM THE 
CONGOLESE GOVERNMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE ZAMBIAN CAPITAL, 
LUSAKA.  BUT THE REBELS WALKED OUT OF THE TALKS, SAYING THEY HAD 
BEEN GIVEN  NO TIME TO EXAMINE OR CHANGE THE AGENDA WHICH WAS 
DRAWN UP WITHOUT THEM AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
ANOTHER, SEPARATE ROUND OF PEACE TALKS IS SCHEDULED TO BE HELD IN
ROME ON APRIL 30TH UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC PEACE
GROUP, THE SANT' EGIDIO COMMUNITY.
PROFESSOR WAMBA SAYS AN AGENDA FOR TALKS IN ROME HAS  NOT  YET 
BEEN COMPLETED, BUT WOULD FOCUS ON BROAD THEMES INCLUDING THE 
CONSTITUTION, POWER SHARING AND THE LIBERALIZATION OF POLITICAL 
PARTIES.  BUT PROFESSOR WAMBA SAYS THE ROME TALKS WOULD MEAN 
LITTLE WITHOUT TALKING FIRST ABOUT WAYS TO END THE FIGHTING.  
(SIGNED)
NEB/TP/JWH
19-Apr-99 10:04 AM EDT (1404 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.