Kabila pledge to UN observers

DRC President Laurent-Desire Kabila has promised greater freedom of movement to UN observers trying to oversee a ceasefire agreement, the BBC reported on Monday. Kabila’s pledge came during talks held in the Mozambican capital, Maputo, between heads of state of countries involved in the Congolese conflict. South African President Thabo Mbeki said he was encouraged by the new pledge from the Congolese authorities, according to the BBC. The issue has been one of the main sticking points holding up the agreement which was signed in Lusaka last year.

Mozambican President Joachim Chissano said conditions had been created for holding a session of the political committee - set up to oversee implementation of the Lusaka peace accord - in the Zambian capital on 29 November. The committee is made up the countries involved in the conflict, plus the three rebel groups. “It has become clear that the DRC is ready to study and resolve the pending issues so as to permit MONUC [the UN Observer Mission] to play its role,” Chissano said over Mozambican radio. “President Kabila’s commitment to cooperate with MONUC in an open manner has been another step forward.” Chissano added that the Maputo meeting cleared up many of the problems between MONUC and the DRC. MONUC has also agreed to monitor implementation of the Lusaka accord and the Kampala disengagement agreement.