New developments on dialogue welcomed

The weekend call by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) allies backing Kabila for Masire to convene the inter-Congolese dialogue "as soon as possible, because things cannot wait" has been welcomed as a potentially important development within the region. SADC wanted the dialogue to come about as soon as possible, because the Congolese people needed an electoral process to deliver "a legitimate parliament and an
elected government," a final communique from the heads of state of Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe and DRC who met in Kinshasa on Sunday stated. After the negative reaction Masire received during his last visit to Kinshasa, the SADC leaders' support for immediate dialogue could be - if adhered to - a very important step towards peace, according to a diplomatic source close
to the Lusaka process. The US this week called on parties to the conflict to give Masire their full and unequivocal support. Department of State Spokesman James Rubin warned that "the ability of the international community to fully engage with the Congolese government in the critical tasks of development and reconstruction will depend upon the successful completion of the national dialogue."