DATE=6/30/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251269
TITLE=SAF CONGO (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=DELIA ROBERTSON
DATELINE=JOHANNESBURG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI SAYS HIS COUNTRY WILL
BE PART OF A PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN CONGO-KINSHASA -- IF A
CEASE-FIRE IS AGREED TO END THAT COUNTRY'S CIVIL WAR. HOWEVER,
AS V-O-A'S DELIA ROBERTSON REPORTS, SOUTH AFRICA IS NOT LIKELY TO
SEND LARGE NUMBERS OF TROOPS TO CONGO-KINSHASA.
TEXT: SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI TOLD PARLIAMENT THAT
IF A CEASE-FIRE IS SIGNED IN CONGO-KINSHASA, SOUTH AFRICA WILL
PARTICIPATE IN ENFORCING IT.
///MBEKI ACT///
WE WILL HAVE TO SEND SOME SOUTH AFRICANS TO CONTRIBUTE
TO THE PEACEMAKING PROCESSES THAT MUST BE AN OUTCOME OF
THOSE NEGOTIATIONS. THE GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE ALL THE
NECESSARY CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL STEPS TO ENSURE THAT
ANY DEPLOYMENT OF OUR TROOPS, AS WILL HAPPEN, IS HANDLED
CORRECTLY.
///END ACT///
SOUTH AFRICAN DEFENSE MINISTER PATRICK LEKOTA SAYS HIS COUNTRY'S
ROLE IN ANY CONGO-KINSHASA PEACEKEEPING OPERATION WILL BE AS PART
OF THE PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL MONITORING COMMISSION. MR. LEKOTA
TOLD V-O-A THAT HE DOES NOT EXPECT LARGE NUMBERS OF SOUTH
AFRICAN TROOPS TO BE SENT TO CONGO-KINSHASA.
MR. LEKOTA SAYS THE PLAN IS FOR THE WARRING PARTIES IN
CONGO-KINSHASA TO POLICE THEMSELVES AFTER A CEASE-FIRE AND THAT
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL BE CONFINED TO OVERSEEING AND
MONITORING.
ANALYST RICHARD CORNWELL OF THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE FOR
STRATEGIC STUDIES SAYS THIS SOLUTION WAS FIRST MOOTED BY MR.
MBEKI WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR THAT A UNITED NATIONS PEACE MISSION
WAS UNLIKELY.
///CORNWELL ACT///
THE AFRICANS THEMSELVES WOULD THEN PRESUMABLY WANT TO
OPERATE UNDER (UNITED NATIONS) MANDATE BUT IN THE
MEANTIME IT IS REALIZED THAT NO PEACEKEEPING FORCE IS
GOING TO BE DEPLOYED AND THAT THEREFORE THE ONLY
ALTERNATIVE IS TO ALLOW THE BELLIGERENTS TO POLICE
THEMSELVES UNDER INTERNATIONAL SUPERVISION.
///END ACT///
MR. CORNWELL SAYS SOUTH AFRICA IS WELL EQUIPPED TO PROVIDE
LOGISTICAL ASSISTANCE IN AFRICAN PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS. IN
PARTICULAR, HE SAYS, SOUTH AFRICA HAS EXPERTISE IN
COMMUNICATIONS, TRANSPORT AND HEALTH SERVICES. BUT HE SAYS,
PEACEKEEPING SKILLS ARE STILL IN SHORT SUPPLY ON THE AFRICAN
CONTINENT. ///REST OPT///
///SECOND CORNWELL ACT///
WE'VE HAD THESE OPERATIONS ... THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNED
TO TRAIN THIS SORT OF CAPACITY, BUT I DON'T GET THE
IMPRESSION THAT THEY'VE ADVANCED VERY FAR. CERTAINLY
NOT TO CREATE THE SORT OF FORCE THAT WOULD BE REGARDED
AS A MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR THE CONGO.
///END ACT///
MR. CORNWELL SAYS THERE IS A DANGER THAT IF A CEASE-FIRE IS
POLICED BY THE WARRING PARTIES THEMSELVES, SOUTH AFRICANS AND
OTHER INTERNATIONAL MONITORS COULD FIND THEMSELVES DRAWN INTO
LOCALIZED "TURF WARS" IN CONGO-KINSHASA.
///THIRD CORNWELL ACT///
IF THERE ISN'T SOME SORT OF COHERENCE AMONG THE
MONITORING OR THE OVERSEEING PARTIES, THEN CERTAINLY
THERE'S A GRAVE DANGER THAT THEY WILL FIND THEMSELVES
TAKING SIDES, ESPECIALLY SINCE SO MUCH OF THIS WAR IS
ABOUT RESOURCES.
///END ACT///
MR. CORNWELL SAYS A MINIMUM OF 30-THOUSAND TROOPS WILL BE NEEDED
FOR BASIC POLICING OF A CEASE-FIRE IN CONGO-KINSHASA -- AND THAT
100-THOUSAND WOULD BE NEEDED FOR EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION. HE
SAYS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WILL NOT FIND THE FUNDS FOR
SUCH A LARGE OPERATION, AND SO SELF-POLICING BY THE BELLIGERENTS
THEMSELVES APPEARS TO BE THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAR/PCF/KL
30-Jun-99 11:39 AM EDT (1539 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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