22 February 2000
White House Official Links Arusha Talks to Congo Crisis
(NSC's Gayle Smith telepress conference of February 21) (920) By Jim Fisher-Thompson Washington File Correspondent Arusha, Tanzania -- While the U.S. government has had a long-standing interest in the Burundi peace process, the second round of talks being held in Tanzania from February 21-23 is especially significant because of the worsening Congo/Kinshasa crisis, says a senior White House official. Gayle Smith, special adviser to President Clinton and senior director of African affairs at the National Security Council (NSC), made that point at a February 21 telephone press conference broadcast from Washington to Arusha, Tanzania, site of the talks. Smith briefed reporters along with Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region Howard Wolpe, who is in Arusha. Smith stressed to reporters that "since this war in Burundi erupted some years ago, the United States has been very interested in doing what we can to help bring about its resolution." She added that Wolpe " has been heavily involved in working with the mediators and facilitation team and also in regular consultation with other leaders in the region in our effort to support this process." Smith said "I think that currently one of the reasons that it (Arusha) becomes all the more important is because of the linkage between the implementation of the Lusaka cease-fire agreement in the Congo, and reaching a peace agreement in Burundi." The White House official said that "given the interrelation between these two things, we think the timing is extremely important, and the president is quite interested in conveying his support so that we might help both peace processes move forward." The Arusha process began two years ago and accelerated when 18 parties to the conflict signed an agreement in 1999 to hold talks aimed at a final settlement of the civil war that has killed 200,000 since fighting escalated in 1993. After the talk's facilitator, former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere died last year, the United Nations chose former South African President Nelson Mandela to be facilitator for the second round of negotiations. Not all opponents of the Burundian government have joined in the talks, but Mandela is working diligently with those present. In an unprecedented move, Mandela invited foreign heads of state to attend the talks, and President Clinton was to speak to the participants via a video conference satellite hookup on February 22. Asked by a journalist to explain the Burundi/Congo linkage, Smith said, "some of the groups that are fighting in the Congo and who are contributing to its destabilization, also are able to move across borders. In that way, the instability in Burundi and in the Congo feed each other." The U.S. government's view, she explained, is "that the politics, instability and future stability and peace of the Great Lakes is all interconnected in such a way that peace in the Congo can only reinforce progress towards a settlement in Burundi and vice versa." Wolpe, a former chairman of the House Africa Subcommittee, pointed out that "the conflict between Tutsi and Hutu... has historically had regional consequences. Not only has there been a terrible loss of life in Burundi and Rwanda, but there's also been this very substantial flow of refugees after each round of massacres" that has flooded the region. Pointing out that negotiations to end the conflict in Burundi have been going on for some time now, a journalist asked "why should we be confident" that these talks will succeed? Smith said that Wolpe would probably have a clearer picture in Arusha, but that in Washington "we see that considerable progress was made under the leadership of former President Nyerere, and I think there's a strong foundation for the parties to reach agreement. The fact that they have come to Arusha, I think, is an indication of that. "Now, I don't think any of us is saying that this conflict is going to be wrapped up by tomorrow," she said, but through the efforts of Mandela "and importantly, with the support of regional leaders, Europe and the United States, I think it is our view that the time is ripe to make substantial steps forward. And our hope is that the leaders of the delegations from Burundi will, in fact, agree and will make the progress that's necessary" for a lasting peace to the conflict." Wolpe said he had been involved in the peace process since being named special envoy in 1996 and that he is "impressed by the distance that has already been traversed." He said "it was only a couple of years ago that some of the parties sitting around the table today in Arusha were so demonized by each other that the prospect of getting them together in an all-party negotiation was literally inconceivable." Now, progress is being made, he added. "There's a ways (distance) to go," Wolpe said, but the parties are meeting and "they've been able to begin to move towards some convergence on the issues." On the question of armed opposition groups joining the talks, Smith said "it's our view that for a peace to be achieved in Burundi all parties and representatives of all walks of life must be represented. If armed groups don't participate, it is very difficult, indeed, to reach peace." Wolpe said that "we have actively" encouraged members of the armed rebel groups "to begin a dialogue," and some who are not yet part of the Arusha process "have indicated a desire to meet" with Mandela. "We are hopeful that those meetings will take place," he said. (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: usinfo.state.gov)
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