Officials locked in meeting over Libya's "surprise" arrival

Ugandan defence ministry officials and representatives of 42 Libyan soldiers who arrived unexpectedly in Kampala this week are locked in a meeting to try and sort out the issue, Presidential Press Secretary Hope Kivengere told IRIN on Friday. Libyan radio described the surprise arrival as a "prelude" to the arrival of an African peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo. However Kivengere said it was "not exactly the right time" for the Libyans to have come, adding there was probably a "misunderstanding" by Libya over the interpretation of the Sirte agreement signed last month between Presidents Yoweri Museveni and Laurent-Desire Kabila. There were many parties to the DRC conflict who should be involved in modalities for the deployment of a peacekeeping force, she said. "How can an army of about 42 people keep away thousands who are at each other's neck?", she asked. "Anyway, let us wait and see what comes out of the meeting."