DATE=1/31/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N CONGO PEACEKEEPERS (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258643
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations Security Council has ended
(Monday) a month-long focus on Africa with renewed
calls for a U-N peacekeeping mission in Congo-
Kinshasa. V-O-A Correspondent Breck Ardery reports
from the United Nations.
TEXT: The session began with a speech by U-N Deputy
Secretary-General Louise Frechette, who expressed hope
that the Security Council will soon move forward on a
peacekeeping mission to Congo.
/// FRECHETTE ACT ///
The Council has been working hard to finalize a
resolution which would enable us at last to
deploy the promised 500 military observers and
support troops. If all goes well, this should
lead on to a new peacekeeping and peace-building
effort that will demonstrate beyond any doubt
the seriousness of the international community's
commitment to resolving conflict in Africa.
/// END ACT ///
U-N Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who is completing a
trip to Moscow and Geneva, has recommended sending
more than five-thousand troops to Congo to provide
security for the military observers. But diplomats say
that would be simply a prelude to the establishment of
a much larger and very expensive force to maintain
peace in Congo's multi-sided conflict.
Zambia's President Frederick Chiluba told the Council
that last week there was progress in getting all
parties to the Lusaka cease-fire agreement to observe
it. Mr. Chiluba, who helped negotiate the cease-fire
last year, was referring to the public and private
meetings at the United Nations among seven African
heads-of-state who are directly or indirectly involved
in the Congo conflict. Mr. Chiluba urged the Security
Council to seize the momentum of last week.
/// CHILUBA ACT ///
My appeal to this Council is to meet the parties
halfway by expediting the process of deployment
of the five thousand military personnel
recommended under phase two and a peacekeeping
mission under phase three in order to build on
the momentum already gathered by these very
important Council sessions.
/// END ACT ///
The United States has been somewhat restrained in its
support of peacekeepers for Congo. U-S Ambassador to
the United Nations Richard Holbrooke has said it is
vital that a peacekeeping mission be well-planned and
supported. But, in his remarks to the Council, Mr.
Holbrooke indicated the United States is moving toward
endorsement of such a mission.
/// HOLBROOKE ACT ///
We have begun consultations with the (U-S)
Congress and with all of you on the deployment
of U-N peacekeepers. As long as the parties to
the conflict prove they are prepared to live up
to the commitments they made for peace, the
international community embodied in this great
organization has a responsibility to support
them.
/// END ACT ///
The U-S position is somewhat complicated by the fact
that the American Congress must be given 15 days
advance notice of any U-N peacekeeping operation in
which the United States is asked to bear more than 30-
percent of the expense. It will be the job of
Ambassador Holbrooke and other top Clinton
administration officials to convince the Congress that
a Congo operation has a good chance of
success.(Signed)
NEB/UN/BA/LSF/gm
31-Jan-2000 15:12 PM EDT (31-Jan-2000 2012 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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