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U.S. envoy to seek peaceful end to Zaire war

richardson

April 28, 1997
Web posted at: 10:14 a.m. EDT (1414 GMT)

In this story:

KINSHASA, Zaire (CNN) -- U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson was on his way to Zaire Monday with a personal message from U.S. President Bill Clinton to Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko. Richardson hopes to broker a peaceful end to Zaire's seven-month-old civil war and launch serious negotiations on a transitional government.

richardson

Richardson was scheduled to meet with Mobutu in Zaire's capital, Kinshasa, early Tuesday. The contents of the letter from Clinton were not revealed.

Rebel leader Laurent Kabila said he would meet with Richardson Wednesday in Lubumbashi.

Richardson plans to launch serious negotiations on a transitional government in Zaire, but first must get Kabila and Mobutu together. The two have agreed to meet but haven't agreed on the location or the agenda.

mobutu

Zambia, Gabon, South Africa possible hosts

Kabila wants the talks to be held in South Africa or Zambia. Zaire has accused Zambia of aiding the rebels and looked unlikely to consider the country as a neutral venue.

Mobutu, still recuperating from prostate cancer surgery in August, also wants a venue closer to home. His son Nzanga Mobutu said his father had accepted an invitation from President Omar Bongo to meet his arch-foe in Gabon.

"President Mobutu has accepted to go to Gabon. It is closer and easier and it's a solution accepted by everybody except Kabila," he said, adding that Kabila was under pressure to change his mind.

The agenda is also at issue. Kabila insists that he only wants to talk about how and when Mobutu will leave office. Mobutu has refused to consider stepping down.

Both the White House and the U.S. State Department have been calling for Mobutu, who has ruled the vast Central African country for 32 years, to give way to a transitional government.

Rebels stepping up advance on Kinshasa

Kabila said his rebels were gaining ground against Mobutu at the same time as he cooperated with U.S. and South African mediation to end seven months of fighting. His troops have seized more than half of Zaire since October.

"We are committed to dialogue, but that doesn't stop us from making military gains," Kabila said on arrival from Kisangani for talks with commanders of his rebel Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire.

International efforts to stage direct talks between the two foes have intensified as rebels have stepped up their advance on Kinshasa. Rebel leaders say they expect the capital to fall within days. Government army commanders say they will fight to the death to defend the city.

'Deep concern' over refugees

Prior to Richardson's departure, the White House said Richardson "will also underscore the deep concern of the United States regarding the humanitarian situation, refugee repatriation and human rights in Zaire."

Up to 100,000 Rwandan Hutu refugees disappeared from their camps in rebel-held east Zaire last week and fled to the jungle. Kabila has denied his forces sparked their exodus by attacking their camps.

He says his forces know where the bulk of them have gone and will help U.N. agencies locate them. Kabila on Sunday ordered their repatriation within 60 days.

Reuters contributed to this report.



Zaire section

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