“Unequivocal commitment” needed before deployment

The Security Council mission recommended that Annan, before making his final recommendation on deployment, “should speak to each of the Lusaka parties at the highest level, seeking their unequivocal commitment to assist the proposed deployment of phase II of MONUC, testing their commitment to the maintenance of the ceasefire, and asking for their firm undertaking, in writing, to support phase II on the ground in every way.” Meanwhile, Dutch Ambassador to the UN Peter van Walsum told journalists on Friday after briefing a Security Council meeting on the mission that the delegation’s main task was now to “sell our conclusions to international public opinion, which is convinced that Africa is going to fall apart.”