Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila met his chief election rival Jean-Pierre Bemba on Wednesday for the first time since poll-related violence in August, an official said.
Kabila’s spokesperson Kudura Kasongo said the meeting took place in the context of a regular gathering between the president and his four deputies, of which Bemba is one.
Vice-President Abdulaye Yerodia was not present at the meeting.
”The atmosphere is very relaxed,” Kasongo said afterwards.
The president and vice-presidents were due to take part in a defence council meeting later on Wednesday to assess the security situation in the country, he added.
It was the first meeting between the two political heavyweights since their forces clashed on the streets on Kinshasa on August 20 and 22 after they had finished first and second in the first round of the July 30 presidential poll.
The two men will now face each other in a second round set for October 29.
Bemba, who boycotted a presidential meeting on August 26 calling for security guarantees, was escorted to the presidential palace Wednesday by soldiers from the United Nations mission in the DRC. — Sapa-AFP