Lusaka | Wednesday
WARRING parties in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are due to meet in Lusaka on Wednesday in a bid to assist the long-running talks in South Africa, which have stumbled over key issues.
The crucial summit on Wednesday will among other things review progress made in the implementation of the 1999 ceasefire deal signed here and the withdrawal of foreign troops, a senior Zambian foreign ministry official said.
Of the five outside countries Rwanda and Uganda on the side of the rebels and Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia backing the government in Kinshasa only Namibia has pulled out all its troops in line with a ceasefire pact signed in Lusaka in mid-1999.
Troops from Chad also fought alongside the DRC army for a period after rebels launched the war in August 1998.
Delegates to the talks in the South African luxury gambling resort of Sun City said they were hoping the summit could break through impasses on the DRC’s political future essentially the question of whether President Joseph Kabila keeps his job during a transitional period ahead of elections and the integration of rebel fighters into the army.
Zambian officials said none of the the national leaders or representatives of rebel groups had declined to attend, but could not confirm which heads of state would be in Lusaka.
South African President Thabo Mbeki plans to attend the summit, hosted by his Zambian counterpart Levy Mwanawasa.
”This will be an opportunity for the president to discuss with all of them how we ensure that any outstanding problems at the Sun City talks do get resolved,” Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad told reporters in Pretoria.
”All the belligerents will be there, I hope at heads-of-state level.”
Pahad said disagreement had emerged on three major issues the nature of a transition authority, a new constitution for the DRC, and a new defence force.
The Sun City talks’ facilitator, former Botswanan president Sir Ketumile Masire, left Sun City on Tuesday for Lusaka after hearing reports at a plenary session Monday evening on the progress of five commissions.
Three of the five groups economy and finance, humanitarian and social affairs, and peace and reconciliation are close to finishing their work, said delegates.
Delegates on the other two commissions defence and security (army), and political and judicial affairs (transitional government) were basically marking time, they said.
The talks, which began on February 25, were initially delayed by rows over representation and later by a week-long government walk-out over a flare-up in fighting in the east of the vast country.
They are due to end on April 12. – AFP