Doubt over 16 July pre-dialogue meeting

The facilitator of the inter-Congolese dialogue, Ketumile Masire, held talks with Congolese President Joseph Kabila in Kinshasa on Friday to discuss logistical arrangements for a preliminary meeting due to be held on 16 July. Congolese state television observed that the only problem to holding the meeting in Gaborone, Botswana “is the current difference in views within the political groups and armed movements operating in eastern DRC”. “I am briefing the president and I am also going to brief other leaders of the rebel movement about this problem and, together, we should decide whether to go ahead with the 16th or postpone to a later date,” Masire said, in comments broadcast by the television. “Concerning what has already been achieved, we can say that all the technical arrangements have been undertaken and realised with success,” he went on. “Technical, logistical and infrastructural arrangements and accommodation in Botswana - everything is ready.” But, he added, there were difficulties that may not be overcome before 16 July. These included the selection of representatives by some towns; differences between Congolese signatories to the Lusaka accord; and the representation of political parties. “On this issue, the views of the signatories and even those of the political parties are quite different, and we need to find a solution to this here, not only because of the great number of political parties, but also because of the division among them,” Masire pointed out.