DATE=7/3/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251392
TITLE=CONGO AGREEMENT (S&L)
BYLINE=ALISHA RYU
DATELINE=NAIROBI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
/// EDS: PLEASE WATCH CN WIRE FOR UPDATES TO INTRO, INCLUDING
POSSIBLE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A DATE FOR A CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT ///
INTRO: TOP OFFICIALS FROM AFRICAN COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN TALKS TO
BRING AN END TO THE CONFLICT IN CONGO-KINSHASA ARE EXPECTED TO
ENDORSE A PEACE AGREEMENT HAMMERED OUT FRIDAY NIGHT IN LUSAKA,
ZAMBIA, BY THE WARRING PARTIES. V-O-A'S ALISHA RYU HAS DETAILS
FROM OUR EAST AFRICA BUREAU.
TEXT: THE AGREEMENT OUTLINES THE MEANS OF HALTING THE
11-MONTH-OLD CIVIL WAR. IT WOULD OPEN WHAT OFFICIALS CALL A
"NATIONAL DIALOGUE" ON THE COUNTRY'S POLITICAL SITUATION.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CONGO-KINSHASA GOVERNMENT, HEADED BY
LAURENT KABILA, AND THE CONGOLESE REBELS WHO HAVE BEEN SEEKING
HIS OVERTHROW SAY THEY HAVE AGREED ON WAYS TO UNIFY THEIR ARMIES.
THE CONGOLESE GOVERNMENT SAYS IT WILL LEAVE EASTERN CONGO IN THE
HANDS OF REBELS BACKED BY RWANDA AND UGANDA UNTIL A NATIONAL
DIALOGUE HAS TAKEN PLACE.
BIZIMA KARAHA, LEADER OF THE RWANDA-BACKED "RALLY FOR CONGOLESE
DEMOCRACY," CALLS THE AGREEMENT "A BIG STEP FORWARD."
SEVERAL STUMBLING BLOCKS REMAIN BEFORE A CEASE-FIRE CAN BE
SIGNED, HOWEVER. OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE STILL DISCUSSING TERMS
OF AN AGREEMENT TO DISARM AND MONITOR CONGO-BASED RWANDAN HUTU
MILITIAS.
/// REST OPT FOR LONG ///
RWANDA HAS INSISTED ON A GUARANTEE OF SAFETY OF ITS BORDERS FROM
INCURSIONS BY THE MILITIAS. THE MILITIAS ARE THE REMNANTS OF THE
HUTU-LED GOVERNMENT BLAMED FOR RWANDA'S ETHNIC GENOCIDE IN 1994.
DEFENSE AND FOREIGN MINISTERS FROM THE WARRING SIDES WERE TO HAVE
PRESENTED A CEASE-FIRE FOR SIGNING ON JUNE 26TH, BUT NEGOTIATIONS
STALLED. ON TUESDAY, DIRECT TALKS WERE SUSPENDED WHILE THE
MINISTERS NEGOTIATED PRIVATELY ON A DRAFT PEACE PLAN DRAWN UP BY
LOWER-LEVEL OFFICIALS.
WITH FIGHTING CONTINUING IN CONGO'S SOUTH KIVU PROVINCE, THE
UNITED NATIONS REFUGEE AGENCY SAYS SEVERAL REFUGEE CAMPS IN
TANZANIA ARE UNDER SEVERE PRESSURE.
NEARLY FIVE-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE CROSSED LAKE TANGANYIKA INTO
TANZANIA THIS WEEK, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CONGOLESE
REFUGEES IN THE AREA TO MORE THAN 80-THOUSAND.
THE CONFLICT IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO HAS INVOLVED AT
LEAST SIX AFRICAN COUNTRIES, WITH MR. KABILA BACKED BY ZIMBABWE,
ANGOLA AND NAMIBIA AND THE REBELS SUPPORTED BY UGANDA AND RWANDA.
(SIGNED)
NEB/AR/DW/WTW
03-Jul-99 8:21 AM EDT (1221 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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