News from the Washington File

09 May 2000
Text: Uganda and Rwanda Issue Joint Declaration on DROC

(Agree to withdraw forces from Kisangani area) (410)
Uganda and Rwanda agreed May 8 to withdraw their forces currently
deployed in and around the city of Kisangani in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DROC).
The agreement came with the issuance of the "Joint Declaration on the
Demilitarization of Kisangani" in Rwakitura, Uganda, following a
meeting between Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and a United Nations
Security Council delegation headed by Ambassador Richard Holbrooke,
U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations.
The U.N. delegation is touring the region and discussing conditions
for the possible deployment of a U.N. peacekeeping force in DROC to
monitor the Lusaka Cease-Fire Agreement.
Following is the text of the joint declaration:
(begin text)
JOINT DECLARATION ON THE DEMILITARIZATION OF KISANGANI
1. The Government of Uganda, the Government of Rwanda and the United
Nations Security Council Delegation have discussed the current
situation in and around Kisangani, and have agreed on the need for
immediate steps to ensure the demilitarization of the city and
airports of Kisangani.
2. The Government of Uganda and the Government of Rwanda have stated
that they are ready to withdraw their forces currently deployed in and
around Kisangani to a distance to be agreed between them in detailed
negotiations to be held without delay under the auspices of MONUC/JMC.
The results of these negotiations will be reported to the next meeting
of the Political Committee to be held before the end of May, 2000.
3. The Government of Uganda, the Government of Rwanda and the United
Nations Security Council Delegation together recommend to the Special
Representative of the Secretary General that MONUC should deploy at
the earliest possible opportunity to Kisangani, to exercise neutral
control over the demilitarized zone around the city and airports of
Kisangani, once the parties concerned have withdrawn.
4. The United Nations Security Council Delegation reaffirms its strong
support for the entire Lusaka Agreement and calls the attention of the
Lusaka signatories to their obligation to implement the Lusaka
Agreement in all its aspects, and in this context requires all the
parties to respect this agreement of the Governments of Uganda and
Rwanda to demilitarize Kisangani and to take no action in any
circumstances which would violate the demilitarised zone.
8 May 2000
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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Text: Uganda and Rwanda Issue Joint Declaration on DROC
