Presidency open for discussion, says Bemba

Jean-Pierre Bemba, leader of the Mouvement de liberation du Congo (MLC), has said the presidency of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) should be re-opened for discussion.

He was responding to President Joseph Kabila's non-recognition of the Sun City accord, reached at the end of the inter-Congolese dialogue in South Africa earlier this year. Under that agreement, Kabila would remain as president, while Bemba would serve as prime minister in a transitional government.

"If Joseph Kabila revokes the Sun City agreement, he is thereby bringing into question his status as president," Bemba told Voice of America radio on Tuesday.

Responding to Kabila's call to parliament on Saturday for a resumption of the inter-Congolese dialogue aimed at reaching an all-inclusive accord, Bemba questioned Kabila's authority to convene a new round of talks.

"The Kinshasa government is one among the five parties to the dialogue. Therefore, it is not up to the government, but to Moustapha Niasse, the facilitator appointed by the UN Secretary General, to convene the forum," he said.

Nevertheless, Bemba - a former rebel leader - said he had ruled out the resumption of war against Kinshasa.

"We are engaged in a peace process, in the search for the establishment of new institutions and leaders," he said. "It is a process that must continue and the MLC will of course take part in these negotiations if invited by the facilitator."