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Zaire cool to U.N. peace plan
South Africa to host government-rebel talks
February 19, 1997
Web posted at: 12:30 p.m. EST (1730 GMT)In this story:
- Five-point peace plan
- Zaire: Our neighbors must abide by plan, too
- Related developments
- Related stories and sites
KINSHASA, Zaire (CNN) -- Zaire on Wednesday said the U.N. Security Council's resolution for a truce in its civil war was too timid because it failed to condemn aggressors in the five-month conflict.
Meanwhile, South Africa said it would host talks this week between Zairian rebel leader Laurent Kabila and an envoy for President Mobutu Sese Seko's government.
"Representatives of the contesting parties have made a request that they would like to meet in South Africa ... to be able to discuss their problems," President Nelson Mandela told reporters.
He said he hoped the talks could begin on Thursday. There was no immediate Zairian government confirmation of any meeting.
Zaire accuses Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi of invading the eastern portion of the vast Central African country to fight alongside rebels.
Reacting to the U.N. resolution, Zairian Foreign Minister Kamanda wa Kamanda said there could be no cessation of hostilities without a withdrawal of all international troops.
Five-point peace plan
Tuesday's Security Council plan envisages an immediate cease-fire, withdrawal of all outside forces, including mercenaries, and respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Zaire and other states in the region.
Kamanda said the resolution did not specify how the withdrawal of international troops would be accomplished or monitored. "If the foreign troops do not pull out, we consider that there is no cessation of hostilities," he said.
Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi deny Zaire's accusations.
Zaire: Our neighbors must abide by plan, too
The United Nation's plan for ending the civil war through dialogue also calls for elections, protection of refugees and the convening of an international conference to resolve conflicts in the region.
In New York, Zaire's acting U.N. ambassador, Lukabu Khabouji, told CNN his country is willing to consider the plan, but only if neighboring counties in Africa's Great Lakes region do so as well.
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Fighting in Zaire has intensified recently, with government air strikes this week on Tutsi-led rebels. The rebels have seized a stretch of eastern Zaire at least 600 miles (1,000 km) long -- bordering on Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania -- since the start of their revolt last October.
Kabila has warned that further offensives might lead him to withdraw his offer to negotiate.
In related developments:
- The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees repeated pleas for Zaire's largest refugee camp to be demilitarized and for armed Rwandan Hutu extremists to be separated from genuine refugees. Sadako Ogata said Zairian army commanders have promised U.N. officials they will stop arming refugees in Tingi-Tingi camp, crammed with an estimated 150,000 refugees.
- African foreign ministers were in the Zairian capital of Kinshasa for talks with Zairian leaders. Before leaving Nairobi, Kenya, the foreign ministers from Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Cameroon, Congo and Zimbabwe said they would prepare the way for a summit of regional leaders to try to end the war.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Tingi-Tingi refugees, sick, hungry, brace for armed struggle - February 17, 1997
- Zaire confirms new rebel win in east - February 4, 1997
- Commissioner finds refugees in 'deplorable' conditions - February 3, 1997
Related sites:
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- Map of Africa
- Crisis in Central Africa
- Medecins Sans Frontieres International
- Twenty people are dying daily at Tingi Tingi, Zaire - January 14, 1997
- U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees
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