THE Central African Republic ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) said on Monday his country has never supported rebels trying to overthrow Kinshasa, despite DRC rebel support to Bangui. State radio reported that the ambassador, Sissa Le Bernard, was called in for a meeting on Monday with DRC Foreign Minister Leonard She Okitundu, a week after a failed coup in the Central African Republic, whose troops are getting support from DRC rebels, led by prominent businessman Jean-Pierre Bemba. “The President Ange-Felix Patasse never supported Jean-Pierre Bemba, the head of the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC),” Le Bernard said. MLC rebels, which control a large swath of territory in northern DRC and are based just north of Bangui, across the border, sent in troops to help quash mutineers who tried to topple Patasse on May 28. “When your house in burning and a neighbor offers help, you don’t refuse,” Le Bernard said, adding that the rebel support had “no impact whatsoever” on relations between the two governments. – AFP