DATE=4/11/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N CONGO MOVEMENT (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261188
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A new cease-fire commitment among the warring
sides in Congo-Kinshasa seems to have sparked movement
toward deployment of U-N observer troops to that
central African nation. V-O-A Correspondent Breck
Ardery reports from the United Nations.
TEXT: U-N Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcomes the
decision by all factions in the Congo conflict to
implement a military disengagement and total cease-
fire on April 14th. A previous cease-fire agreed to
last year has been widely violated and the violations
caused U-N officials to warn that deployment of an
international observer force for Congo could be
delayed.
But Mr. Annan now indicates that, if all sides are
serious about the new cease-fire, the five thousand
troops and 500 military observers authorized by the
Security Council may soon be on duty in Congo.
U-N spokesman David Wimhurst quotes the Secretary-
General as saying preparations for deployment in Congo
-the D-R-C -- will proceed.
/// WIMHURST ACT ///
The U-N Mission in the D-R-C (Congo) urgently
needs specialized military units to prepare for
the deployment of the five-thousand-strong
force. Undersecretary-General for Peacekeeping
Bernard Miyet [me-`yay] is scheduled to meet
with troop-contributing countries this Thursday.
/// END ACT ///
Ideally, U-N officials would like close coordination
among troop-contributing nations, so that the entire
55-hundred member force can be deployed at the same
time. The U-N Security Council has scheduled another
round of closed-door consultations on Congo for later
this month (4-25).
The fighting in Congo began 20 months ago. It
involves three rebel factions and Rwanda and Uganda
against the Congolese government of President Laurent
Kabila, who has been receiving support from Angola,
Namibia, and Zimbabwe. (Signed)
NEB/UN/BA/LSF/ENE
11-Apr-2000 16:39 PM EDT (11-Apr-2000 2039 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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