AFRICAN DEFENCE CHIEFS SIGN CONGO DEAL

DEFENCE chiefs from six African countries as well as rebel groups fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo have signed an agreement to begin withdrawing troops from front-line positions later this month. But Namibia’s high commissioner to Zimbabwe expressed concern that the accord could fail for lack of a formal signature from one of the main rebel organisations. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe called on the United Nations to quickly deploy monitors to observe the partial withdrawal. – Reuters