DATE=4/30/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ALGERIA/PEACE SUMMIT (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261847
BYLINE=LISA BRYANT
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Leaders of five African countries are meeting
outside Algiers with Democratic Republic of Congo
President Laurent Kabila. The mini-summit aims to
find ways of ending Congo's conflict, which has
destabilized central Africa. But Lisa Bryant reports
from Cairo that experts are not hopeful of a
breakthrough.
TEXT: The African summit is being held at the Club
des Pins, a seaside resort that is home to Algeria's
elite. The gathering comes at the invitation of
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the current
president of the Organization of African Unity, who
has his own share of strife at home.
But this time the focus is on the ongoing conflict in
Congo, and ways of consolidating an April cease-fire
in the vast, unstable and resource-rich country.
Besides President Kabila and President Bouteflika, the
leaders of Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, and Mali
are gathered for the talks. A sixth president -
Zambia's Frederick Chiluba - sent a minister in his
place.
President Kabila told Algerian state television he
welcomed assistance from the O-A-U to end fighting in
the Congo. But Mr. Kabila also criticized the African
group and the United Nations for not moving quickly
enough to restore peace to his country.
The internal turmoil pits the Congolese army against
rebels trying to oust Mr. Kabila from power. But
African and other experts fear the unrest will spill
over and affect other countries in the region.
Algerian officials are reportedly billing the meeting
as a way to give momentum to an April 14th truce
between the Congo's warring parties. Consolidating
that agreement will allow a U-N force of 55-hundred
troops and military observers to monitor the cease-
fire.
O-A-U Secretary General Salim Ahmed Salim is also
attending the meeting, along with Botswana's former
president. But noticeably absent in Sunday's talks
were some of the key backers of both sides in the
Congo conflict. They include Uganda and Rwanda, which
support the rebels.
Representatives from Zimbabwe, Angola, and Namibia -
countries assisting Mr. Kabila's army in the fighting
- were also absent.
A number of summits to end Congo's unrest have
produced few results. Many analysts are skeptical the
Algerian talks will offer anything new, and some
report that the coming dry weather will present
another opportunity to resume fighting. (SIGNED)
NEB/LB/ALW/RAE
30-Apr-2000 11:29 AM EDT (30-Apr-2000 1529 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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