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DATE=6/7/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-250334
TITLE=CONGO-SUMMIT (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=LAWRENCE BARTLETT
DATELINE=HARARE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO: THE THREE SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES SUPPORTING 
CONGO-KINSHASA PRESIDENT LAURENT KABILA HAVE REJECTED RWANDA'S 
ANNOUNCEMENT OF A UNILATERAL CEASE-FIRE, CALLING IT A GIMMICK AND
WARNING THAT THE WAR WILL CONTINUE.  LAWRENCE BARTLETT REPORTS 
FROM HARARE.
TEXT:  THE PRESIDENTS OF ZIMBABWE, ANGOLA AND NAMIBIA MET IN THE 
ZIMBABWEAN CAPITAL HARARE TO ASSESS THE CONGO-KINSHASA CONFLICT 
TEN MONTHS AFTER IT ERUPTED AND SUCKED IN ANOTHER SIX AFRICAN 
COUNTRIES.
AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF HOPES THAT PEACE WAS APPARENT, PRESIDENTS
ROBERT MUGABE, JOSE EDUARDO DOS SANTOS AND SAM NUJOMA DECLARED 
THAT THEY BELIEVED RWANDA'S UNILATERAL DECLARATION OF A 
CEASE-FIRE DECLARED MAY 28TH WAS FALSE AND DECEPTIVE.
AND WITH MR MUGABE AS THEIR SPOKESMAN, THEY TOLD REPORTERS THAT 
WHILE THEY WERE READY FOR PEACE, THEY WERE PREPARED TO CONTINUE 
THE WAR ON ALL FRONTS.
PRESIDENT MUGABE ACCUSED RWANDA OF BEING THE MAIN STUMBLING BLOCK
TO PEACE, SAYING THAT UGANDA APPEARED TO BE WHAT HE CALLED 
"FORTHCOMING."
REBELS FIGHTING TO TOPPLE PRESIDENT KABILA ARE BACKED BY UGANDA 
AND RWANDA AND, LESS OVERTLY, BY BURUNDI, WHILE THE THREE 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES REPRESENTED AT THE SUMMIT SUPPORT THE 
CONGOLESE LEADER.
MR. KABILA HIMSELF WAS DUE TO ATTEND THE SUMMIT, BUT FAILED TO 
ARRIVE.  MR MUGABE, WHO HAD WAITED IN VAIN AT HARARE AIRPORT FOR 
THE MAN HE HAS SENT THOUSANDS OF TROOPS TO SUPPORT, SAID 
CONGO-KINSHASA'S PRESIDENT HAD BEEN PREVENTED FROM ATTENDING BY 
LAST-MINUTE PROBLEMS.  HE REFUSED TO ELABORATE.
A RECENT FLURRY OF DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY, ALONG WITH RWANDA'S 
UNILATERAL CEASE-FIRE, HAD RAISED HOPES THAT THE CONGO-KINSHASA 
CONFLICT MIGHT BE NEARING AN END. OUTGOING SOUTH AFRICAN 
PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA ANNOUNCED RECENTLY THAT A REGIONAL 
SUMMIT TO END THE WAR WOULD BE HELD IN LUSAKA ON JUNE 26TH.
BUT MR. MUGABE SAID RWANDA WAS TRYING TO MAKE MILITARY ADVANCES 
UNDER COVER OF ITS ANNOUNCED CEASE-FIRE, AND SOME RWANDAN 
OFFICIALS HAVE THEMSELVES SAID THE CEASE-FIRE NO LONGER STANDS 
BECAUSE OF RECENT ATTACKS MADE BY PRO-KABILA FORCES. (SIGNED)
NEB/LB/PCF
07-Jun-99 1:34 PM EDT (1734 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.