New efforts for Kisangani ceasefire

Rwanda says a telephone conference will be held between its president Paul Kagame, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and the US representative to the UN Richard Holbrooke on the situation in Kisangani. However, army spokesman Major Emmanuel Ndahiro said he did not know what exactly would be discussed. UN sources were unable to confirm the conference. Diplomatic sources told IRIN that behind the scene efforts to broker a ceasefire have going on for two days. "There has been a threat to impose sanctions on Uganda and Rwanda if they continue fighting, and the leadership in both countries should not take the international community for granted," the sources said. Uganda on Thursday proposed a 24-hour unilateral ceasefire with two conditions. "The United Nations, who are stuck behind the Rwandan lines, should be deployed on our side to see for themselves what we are doing," Ugandan army spokesman Major Pheneas Katirima told IRIN. "Secondly Rwanda should not take advantage and shell our positions." UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Wednesday renewed his call on both countries to stop fighting and withdraw their forces from Kisangani. "Despite MONUC's repeated efforts to organise a ceasefire, the two sides have continued to exchange artillery, mortar and small arms fire," UN spokesman Fred Eckhard quoted Annan as saying. The UN was prepared to assist in the armies' efforts to pull out of the area, Eckhard added.