| COMMUNITY |
| Message Boards Chat Feedback |
| SITE SOURCES |
| Contents Help! Search CNN Networks |
| SPECIALS |
| Quick News Almanac Video Vault News Quiz |
 |
Leaders of Congo, Kenya expected at Clinton summit in Uganda
March 18, 1998
Web posted at: 2:44 a.m. EST (0744 GMT)WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two African leaders whose actions have raised concern with the United States are expected to attend a regional summit meeting with President Bill Clinton next week in Uganda, a senior U.S. official said Tuesday.
Congo President Laurent Kabila and Kenya President Daniel arap Moi are to be present at the March 25 summit of ten African leaders in Entebbe, Uganda, said the official, who did not want to be identified.
Clinton is scheduled to leave Sunday on a six-nation tour of Africa, billed by his administration as the most ambitious visit to the continent by a sitting American president.
The official said a formal attendance list is to be issued by the Ugandan government, but that the presence of leaders whose policies have raised concerns with the United States will give Clinton a chance to personally express those sentiments.
Kenya, despite being a firm Western ally during the Cold War years, has been increasingly criticized by its allies over democracy, governance, human rights abuses and corruption.
On a visit last month, Clinton's African envoy Jesse Jackson, who is expected to accompany the president on this trip, said Washington is tough on Kenya because it expects high standards.
The United States has also been concerned about the activities of Kabila's government since he ousted the late Zairean leader Mobutu Sese Seko in 1997.
Last month, Kabila declined to meet Jackson after the U.S. envoy met opposition leaders in Congo and called for an end to the ban on political activity imposed by Kabila.
The U.S. official said, "clearly we are very concerned about certain elements of the performance of the Kabila government, including the arrest of political opposition figures...including the banning of political party activities, including increasing allegations of arbitrary arrests of people and abridgment of other human rights."
"You can expect that will certainly be something that we will want to discuss with President Kabila when he comes to Uganda," he said.
Along with Uganda, Clinton is to visit the West African nations of Senegal and Ghana, Rwanda in central Africa and Botswana and South Africa in southern Africa.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Kenyans refuse to strike over ethnic killings - February 4, 1998
- Opposition disrupts start of new Kenyan parliament - February 3, 1998
- Moi proposes 'new chapter' for Kenya - January 4, 1998
- Moi wins disputed Kenyan election - January 3, 1998
- Congo says U.N. massacre probe can start immediately - November 26, 1997
- Congo's 2 largest cities fall to rebels - October 15, 1997
- Congo rebels take Brazzaville airport - October 14, 1997
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser windowExternal sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
|
Sound off on our message boards & chat |
|
© 1998 Cable News Network, Inc.
A Time Warner Company
All Rights Reserved.