South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki opened a fresh round of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) peace talks in Pretoria on Friday, urging delegates to be ready to compromise.
He told the different camps not to put forward proposals as demands in the discussions, which are scheduled to reach a conclusion next Saturday.
”That means a readiness to compromise.”
A comprehensive agreement would render the participants heroes instead of villains in the eyes of the Congolese people, Mbeki said.
The talks at the Presidential Guest House will revolve around the practical aspects of a transitional government to guide the war-torn DRC to democratic elections.
An agreement was reached earlier this month on the broad principles of an interim arrangement. The allocation of ministerial portfolios in a transitional government is among the issues on the agenda for the week’s talks.
United Nations special envoy Moustapha Niasse said the DRC groups were now ready to discuss what he termed the distribution of state responsibilities.
”We have reached a crucial phase of our negotiations,” he said in a message from UN secretary-general Kofi Annan.
The overall objective was good governance with a respect for the rule of law in the DRC. The deliberations are being attended by representatives of the DRC government, the main armed rebel groups, opposition parties, and civil society groups.
They have so far agreed in principle that DRC President Joseph Kabila will head an interim government with four vice-presidents. These are to be occupied by representatives of the rebel groups, opposition parties, the government, and civil society.
It is envisaged that the transitional government will usher in the end of the four-year civil war in the central African country that drew in seven other African nations at its height.
Mbeki said on Friday the parties would consider a draft agreement that included the principles already agreed upon as well as proposed modalities for a transitional government. Consensus should be reached as a matter of urgency.
”Our firm view is that it is possible to reach an agreement,” Mbeki said. If we keep our focus on the needs of the Congo and the needs of the Congolese people we will indeed respond to that urgency to reach an agreement.”
It would be natural for the different parties to be concerned about their own interests.
”We should not make that the overriding consideration so that it becomes more important that the needs of the Congolese people,” Mbeki said.
”If that is our approach, we can conclude the negotiations within the time frame.”
Mbeki reminded delegates that the rest of the continent and the world were eager to help rebuild the Congo, and were watching the talks with intense interest.
”There is some impatience as to when we can start seriously to engage with the DRC people to reconstruct the Congo.”
If necessary, delegates should be prepared to work through the night.
”This might mean a bit of sacrifice in terms of sleep, but the sacrifice will be worth the prize we are seeking,” Mbeki said.
Co-chairman of the talks, South African provincial and local government minister Sydney Mufamadi, said the facilitation team would start holding talks with individual delegations from Saturday.
At these meetings each would be given a detailed outline of the negotiation programme of the next eight days. Mbeki concluded by sounding an optimistic note.
”There is no reason why we should not emerge from this process after a week as the heroes and heroines the Congolese people expect us to be. No of us would want the Congolese people to define us as villains.” – Sapa