SECRETARY-GENERAL HEARTENED BY NEWS OF CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Press Release
SG/SM/7064
AFR/153
SECRETARY-GENERAL HEARTENED BY NEWS OF CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
19990708 The following statement was issued by the Office of the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:The Secretary-General was heartened by the news that the Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs and the rebel leaders meeting in Lusaka, Zambia since 26 June had adopted a ceasefire agreement for the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 7 July 1999. This is an important and welcome step towards the restoration of peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the Great Lakes region of Africa.
The Secretary-General urges the Heads of State and the rebel leaders concerned to sign and otherwise ratify the cease-fire agreement as a matter of urgency. He calls on them to declare and enact an immediate cessation of hostilities and troops standstill, pending the entry into force of the ceasefire agreement, and to create the trust and goodwill that are crucial to the future reconciliation among the Congolese and within the Great Lakes region.
The Secretary-General has informed the Security Council of his willingness to seek authorization to deploy United Nations military observers at an early date, with a possible subsequent deployment of a full-scale United Nations peacekeeping operation. A technical survey team is being dispatched to the Democratic Republic of the Congo this week to assess the feasibility of the deployment of observers.
The Secretary-General commends President Frederick Chiluba and the Zambian Government for their untiring efforts since September 1998 to bring the Lusaka peace process to a successful conclusion. He also commends all those who have facilitated and complemented the Lusaka process, and particularly the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity and the Leader of the Libyan Arab Jamahirya, who brought about the Sirte agreement of 18 April 1999.
- 2 - Press Release SG/SM/7064 AFR/153 8 July 1999
The Secretary-General is prepared, subject to authorization by the Security Council, to make a substantial contribution to helping the parties implement the cease-fire agreement. The United Nations will spare no effort in mobilizing the international community to assist the peoples of the region in their efforts to achieve reconciliation, reconstruction and development.
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