Deal between government and MLC rebel movement

The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the rebel Mouvement pour la liberation du Congo (MLC) have reached an agreement in Sun City, South Africa, that they claim will reunite 70 percent of the divided country.

The deal, which its architects claim was inspired by South African President Thabo Mbeki, would give the MLC leader, Jean-Pierre Bemba, the job of prime minister in a transitional government, while confirming Joseph Kabila as president, the MLC spokesman, Olivier Kamitatu, told a press conference in Sun City on Wednesday.

The other main rebel movement in DRC, the Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-Goma) would nominate the president of parliament, said Kamitatu, and would hold ministerial posts in the government, as would the unarmed opposition and civil society.

The Rwandan-backed RCD, which governs the remaining 30 percent of the country, is understood to have rejected the deal. The rebel movement had been holding out for more important posts than the presidency of parliament. Under a plan proposed by Mbeki last week, which the RCD had said it could discuss, defence, security and elections portfolios would be given to it in a transition government.

The MLC/government deal, if implemented, could realise the hopes of millions of ordinary Congolese. "From east to west and to the extreme south, the Congolese can now travel freely," Kamitatu proclaimed in Sun City. He added that Bemba had already signed an agreement with Kabila which would open the Congo river to trade, and liberalise the movement of people across the former front line.

In answer to fears that the agreement could pose the risk of renewed war between the RCD and the new coalition, Kamitatu said that in the hours to come a framework agreement would be drafted and presented to the other delegates at the dialogue. If the RCD delegates rejected it, he said, the MLC would continue to try to persuade them to join.