DATE=6/29/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251215
TITLE=CONGO TALKS (L)
BYLINE=JOHN PITMAN
DATELINE=LUSAKA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: MINISTERIAL TALKS ON A CEASEFIRE FOR CONGO-KINSHASA HAVE
RESUMED IN ZAMBIA AFTER A DAY OF DISAGREEMENTS AND DELAYS.
V-O-A'S JOHN PITMAN IN ZAMBIA'S CAPITAL, LUSAKA, REPORTS THE
MINISTERS SAY THEY ARE NOW CLOSE TO SIGNING THE DRAFT CEASEFIRE
AGREEMENT.
TEXT: THE FOREIGN AND DEFENSE MINISTERS REOPENED THEIR TALKS
TUESDAY MORNING WITH SMILES AND CONFIDENT DECLARATIONS THAT ANY
REMAINING QUESTIONS WILL BE WORKED OUT.
CONGOLESE FOREIGN MINISTER ABDULAYE YERODIA SAID AN AGREEMENT HAS
BEEN REACHED ON THE CRITICAL ISSUE OF THE WITHDRAWAL OF FOREIGN
TROOPS FROM CONGO. HE SAID ALL SIDES HAD ACCEPTED A UNITED
NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE WITHDRAWAL OF
"INVITED" AND "NON-INVITED" TROOPS.
WHILE HE DID NOT SAY IF AN AGREEMENT HAD BEEN REACHED ON THE
SEQUENCE OF THESE TROOP WITHDRAWALS, OTHER OFFICIALS SAY THE TWO
SIDES HAVE ACCEPTED A 100-DAY PERIOD DURING WHICH A TIMETABLE FOR
THE WITHDRAWALS WOULD BE DRAWN UP.
HOLDING ONE OF HIS TRADEMARK CIGARS IN ONE HAND AND A GOLD PEN IN
THE OTHER, MR. YERODIA SAID HE IS READY -- IN PRINCIPLE -- TO
SIGN THE AGREEMENT.
/// YERODIA ACT - IN FRENCH - FADE UNDER ///
"YOU SEE, I AM READY TO SIGN," HE SAID, BRANDISHING HIS PEN.
"LOOK, I EVEN HAVE TAKEN MY PEN OUT OF MY POCKET."
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CONFERENCE HALL, REBEL FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SPOKESMAN BIZIMA KARAHA ALSO WAS MORE UPBEAT THAN HE WAS WHEN HE
LEFT THE TALKS ON MONDAY. HE DISMISSED REPORTS THAT DIVISIONS
WITHIN THE REBELLION WERE BLOCKING THE TALKS AND SAID OTHER
QUESTIONS COULD BE RESOLVED AS EARLY AS TODAY
/// KARAHA ACT ///
WE BELIEVE THAT BY THE END OF TODAY, WE SHALL HAVE TO
RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS WHICH ARE HERE.
/// END ACT ///
AMID THIS OPTIMISM, ZAMBIA'S MINISTER FOR PRESIDENTIAL AFFAIRS,
ERIC SILWAMBA, WHO IS CHAIRING THE TALKS, ISSUED AN APPEAL FOR
RESTRAINT AS THE TALKS GOT STARTED.
/// SILWAMBA ACT ///
WE SHOULD RESIST ANY TEMPTATION TO REOPEN OLD WOUNDS AND
NOT ENTER INTO LONG DEBATE AND BITTER EXCHANGES, WHICH
WOULD ONLY SERVE TO DELAY THE ATTAINMENT OF THAT WHICH
WE ALL CHERISH AND FOR WHICH WE ARE ASSEMBLED HERE --
PEACE IN THE D-R-C (CONGO-KINSHASA).
/// END ACT ///
MR. SILWAMBA SAID THE TALKS WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL AN AGREEMENT IS
REACHED. HE SAID A SIGNING CEREMONY FOR THE HEADS OF STATE
INVOLVED IN THE CONFLICT WOULD NOT BE ORGANIZED UNTIL AFTER THE
MINISTERS FINISH THEIR WORK. (SIGNED)
NEB/JP/JWH/KL
29-Jun-99 7:13 AM EDT (1113 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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