Belgian-DRC ties “revived”

Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel has said his country’s relations with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), after “10 years at a standstill”, had now been “revived”. Speaking on Saturday, after talks with President Laurent-Desire Kabila in Kinshasa, he said the two countries were now trying to strengthen bilateral ties. In comments broadcast by DRC state television, he described his talks with Kabila as “very cordial”. “We agreed to keep in touch very often,” he said. “I believe that bilateral relations have dramatically improved.” Michel acknowledged relations in the past had had their “ups and downs”. “When two people like each other a lot, they often find it difficult to live together,” he said. He added that Belgium could mobilise the international community and seek assistance for the DRC and other countries of the Great Lakes region. Kabila, for his part, described Belgium’s attitude as “very encouraging”. In an interview with Belgian radio last week, before leaving for the Great Lakes region, Michel said he wanted to try and convince Kabila that the only solution to Congo’s problems was the inter-Congolese dialogue. He wanted Kabila to understand that all interested parties should take part in such a dialogue, without which the Lusaka peace process would have no hope. Michel also stressed that the international community, particularly the European Union, should play a much greater role in resolving the DRC conflict. He said he believed efforts by Belgium to mobilise the EU were now having certain effects among some of its members.