SECRETARY-GENERAL MEETS WITH CONGO'S FOREIGN MINISTER, CURRENT CHAIR OF COMMITTEE ON CENTRAL AFRICAN SECURITY
Press Release
SG/SM/6159
SECRETARY-GENERAL MEETS WITH CONGO'S FOREIGN MINISTER, CURRENT CHAIR OF COMMITTEE ON CENTRAL AFRICAN SECURITY
19970214 The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary- General Kofi Annan:The Secretary-General met on 12 February with the Foreign Minister of the Congo, Destin-Arsène Tsaty-Boungou, who is the current Chairman of the Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa created by the General Assembly two years ago. The reviewed the work of the Committee with regard to the situation in the Great Lakes region, as well as various initiatives taken by Member States in this context.
The agreed on the need to maintain the impetus in the search for peace in the region and to call a regional conference on democratic institutions and peace in Central Africa, to be held in Brazzaville from 30 March to 3 April 1997, to which the political leaders, the opposition members and the civil society of the countries of the region would be invited. They called on the international community to help ensure the success of the conference. They also discussed the situation in Zaire and the various peace initiatives taken thereon, as well as the situation in Burundi. Finally, the Foreign Minister spoke of the next presidential elections in his country, which are to be held in August 1997.
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