DATE=1/25/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=BIZIMUNGU ON CONGO (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258430
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Rwanda's President Pasteur Bizimungu said today
(Tuesday) that he would immediately order a withdrawal
of his nation's troops from Congo-Kinshasa if an
international peacekeeping force could guarantee
Rwanda's security. VOA Correspondent Breck Ardery
reports from the United Nations.
TEXT: President Bizimungu told reporters Rwandan
troops are in Congo to protect Rwanda from Hutu
militias. After a Tutsi-led government took power in
Rwanda six years ago, many Hutus fled to Congo. Mr.
Bizimungu says his government must protect Rwanda from
the Interahamwe militia fighters and other armed Hutu
groups.
The presence of Rwandan troops in Congo has been a
major complaint of Congo's President Laurent Kabila
whose government is engaged in a conflict with rebel
groups.
However, Mr. Bizimungu says if Rwanda's security could
be guaranteed, his troops would leave Congo
immediately.
///Bizimungu act///
Can somebody, like the international community
or the (U-N) Security Council for that matter
give us a guarantee that if we withdraw our
troops Kabila and his allies will not shoot us
in the back and the Interahamwe will not rush
into Rwanda? That is the fundamental problem. As
soon as the international community or anybody
else can give us that guarantee, we can
withdraw, even tomorrow. We have no problem with
that.
///end act///
Mr. Bizimungu says he is optimistic that the U-N
Security Council will authorize a peacekeeping mission
for Congo within two weeks.
The Rwandan president is among seven African heads of
state who attended a special Security Council meeting
on Congo and also met with U-N Secretary-General Kofi
Annan who outlined plans for a possible peacekeeping
mission to Congo.(Signed)
NEB/UN/BA/LSF/PT
25-Jan-2000 15:08 PM EDT (25-Jan-2000 2008 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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