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DATE=4/9/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CONGO CEASEFIRE (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261098
BYLINE=JOHN PITMAN
DATELINE=ABIDJAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  Governments involved in the war in Congo-
Kinshasa are reacting cautiously to a new cease-fire 
agreement signed on Saturday in Uganda.  Under terms 
of the deal, which has been approved by all the 
warring sides, a truce is to go into effect on April 
14th.  V-O-A's John Pitman has details from our West 
Africa bureau.
TEXT:  The latest truce for the Democratic Republic of 
the Congo was signed Saturday in Uganda's capital, 
Kampala, by members of the Joint Military Commission, 
or J-M-C.
The J-M-C was created last year by the Lusaka peace 
agreement to monitor the cease-fire.  It includes 
representatives from the Congolese government and its 
allies -- Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia -- as well as 
the rebel factions and their allies, Rwanda and 
Uganda.
However, the Lusaka cease-fire has failed to stop the 
fighting, with all sides accused of violating the 
truce.
The new cease-fire agreement signed on Saturday calls 
for a total cessation of hostilities on April 14th, 
plus the redeployment of troops and the creation of 
demilitarized zones.
In Kinshasa (capital of the Democratic Republic of the 
Congo), President Laurent Kabila's government convened 
a mini-summit with its major allies on Sunday to 
discuss the new truce.
The presidents of Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia -- all 
of whom have sent troops to support President Kabila 
-- held several hours of closed-door talks with their 
embattled ally.
For its part, the Kinshasa government reacted 
cautiously when the truce was first announced, saying 
it remained wary of the rebels' commitment to peace.
On the other side of the front line, Rwanda, the chief 
supporter of the rebel movement trying to unseat Mr. 
Kabila, has welcomed the accord, saying the creation 
of a demilitarized zone will facilitate deployment of 
United Nations peacekeepers in the Congo.
The U-N Security Council has approved five-thousand 
peacekeepers for the Congo, plus 500 military 
observers.  However, because of repeated violations of 
the Lusaka cease-fire, only a handful of observers 
have been able to start working in the field.   
(Signed)
NEB/JP/DW/WTW
09-Apr-2000 13:16 PM EDT (09-Apr-2000 1716 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.