DATE=5/16/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249429 (CQ)
TITLE= LIBYA/CONGO TALKS (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SIX (SUB-SAHARAN) AFRICAN LEADERS HAVE AGREED TO A
CEASEFIRE IN EASTERN CONGO -- WHICH HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR
STABILITY IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THE AGREEMENT FOLLOWS A
MINI-SUMMIT MEETING CHAIRED BY LIBYAN LEADER MUAMMAR GADHAFI, AS
WE HEAR IN THIS REPORT FROM CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB IN CAIRO.
TEXT: THE AFRICAN LEADERS AGREED TO THE PEACE DEAL FOLLOWING A
DAY-LONG MEETING IN THE CITY OF SIRTE, IN EASTERN LIBYA.
A STATEMENT BROADCAST BY THE LIBYAN NEWS AGENCY, MONITORED IN
CAIRO, SAID A NEARING OF POINTS OF VIEW WAS ACHIEVED AND THE BASE
OF UNDERSTANDING WAS BROADENED.
UNDER THE AGREEMENT, THERE IS TO BE A CEASEFIRE THROUGHOUT THE
GREAT LAKES REGION, WHICH HAS BEEN THE SCENE OF ETHNIC VIOLENCE
SINCE THE EARLY 1990S AND TWO MAJOR REBELLIONS (IN CONGO) IN THE
PAST THREE YEARS.
RWANDA AND UGANDA HAVE STATIONED TROOPS IN EASTERN CONGO, THEY
SAY, TO PROTECT THEIR TERRITORIES FROM REBELS BASED IN EASTERN
CONGO. THE CONGOLESE GOVERNMENT SAYS THEIR TROOPS ARE SUPPORTING
THE CONGOLESE REBELS.
THE REBELS HAVE SEIZED THE EASTERN THIRD OF THE COUNTRY SINCE
THEY LAUNCHED AN OFFENSIVE LAST AUGUST AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT OF
PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA.
THE PARTICIPANTS AT THE MEETING IN LIBYA AGREED TO DIRECT TALKS
BETWEEN THE REBELS AND THE KABILA GOVERNMENT, WHICH TO DATE HAS
REFUSED TO MEET THE REBELS. THE REBELS DID NOT ATTEND THE
MEETING IN LIBYA AND IT IS NOT CLEAR WHETHER THEY WILL ACCEPT THE
PROPOSAL.
/// REST OPT///
THE PARTICIPANTS ALSO SAID THERE WILL BE A FOREIGN MINISTERS
MEETING IN ZAMBIA TO WHICH REBEL REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE INVITED.
AND THEY SAID A FINAL RESOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT WILL BE FORGED
AT A REGIONAL SUMMIT MEETING. THE DATES FOR THESE TWO MEETINGS
WERE NOT ANNOUNCED.
IN ADDITION TO COLONEL GADHAFI, THE MEETING WAS ATTENDED BY
ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY CHAIRMAN BLAISE COMPAORE OF BURKINA
FASO AND THE PRESIDENTS OF CHAD, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC,
ERITREA AND THE GAMBIA.
PRESIDENT KABILA AND RWANDAN VICE-PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME ALSO
ATTENDED THE MEETING, REPORTEDLY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THEY
FELL OUT (SPLIT OVER DISAGREEMENTS) ONE YEAR AGO. RWANDA AND
UGANDA ORIGINALLY BACKED THE REBELLION THAT BROUGHT MR. KABILA TO
POWER TWO YEARS AGO AND DROVE LONGTIME PRESIDENT MOBUTU SESE SEKO
INTO EXILE.
HOWEVER, THEY SWITCHED ALLEGIANCE TO A GROUP OPPOSED TO MR.
KABILA AFTER THE KABILA GOVERNMENT FAILED TO END INSTABILITY IN
THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THESE REBELS REACHED THE OUTSKIRTS OF
KINSHASA LAST SEPTEMBER BUT WERE DRIVEN BACK BY CONGOLESE FORCES
BACKED BY TROOPS FROM ANGOLA, NAMIBIA AND ZIMBABWE.
THE CONFLICT HAS CONTINUED SINCE THEN, WITH HUMAN RIGHTS
ORGANIZATIONS REPORTING WIDESPREAD ATROCITIES AGAINST CIVILIAN
POPULATIONS IN THE REGION. OBSERVERS SAY THE VIOLENCE RISKS
ESCALATING FURTHER, AFTER CONGOLESE PLANES BOMBED THE REBEL
CAPITAL OF GOMA LAST WEEK, KILLING DOZENS OF CIVILIANS. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/DW/JO
16-May-99 9:36 AM EDT (1336 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
