PRESS BRIEFING BY SPECIAL ENVOY FOR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Press Briefing

PRESS BRIEFING BY SPECIAL ENVOY FOR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Although President Laurent Kabila had agreed to the deployment of United Nations troops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, implementation might be delayed by his rejection of participation by South African specialized units, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for that country, said at a Headquarters press conference this afternoon.

Responding to journalists' questions on his recent meeting with President Kabila, the Special Envoy told one correspondent that the deployment might be delayed until the United Nations found specialized units from other countries. The units are required for tasks like cargo handling, meteorology, airspace management, movement control, water processing, fuel management, air crash rescue and firefighting.

Asked by another journalist what the next step would be and when it would be taken, General Abubakar replied that since President Kabila had agreed to certain conditions for the deployment of the Organization's Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), it was now a matter of waiting for outstanding issues to be sorted out.

Before General Abubakar took questions, Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said the Special Envoy had briefed the Security Council during its consultations on the Democratic Republic of the Congo this morning. He had stressed to President Kabila the importance of granting real and complete freedom of movement to MONUC, and of permitting it to deploy armed troops to several locations. He had also urged the Government to participate in the inter-Congolese dialogue, to cease all hostilities and to maintain a ceasefire.

According to Mr. Eckhard, General Abubakar noted that the Congolese Government had since relaxed some restrictions on the Mission's freedom of movement and allowed the deployment of some United Nations troops to Mbandaka, Kananga and Kisangani. But while those developments were welcome, the concessions announced were only part of a package of measures that the Special Envoy had requested.

Asked by a journalist about reports that the Congolese Government wanted to renegotiate the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement, General Abubakar replied that President Kabila had said the accord did not recognize that his country had been invaded. He wanted the invasion noted and the aggressors to leave the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The same correspondent asked whether the Special Envoy had raised those points with President Frederick Chiluba of Zambia and Organization of African Unity (OAU) Secretary-General Salim Ahmed Salim.

General Abubakar said he had met with President Chiluba before meeting President Kabila. But when the Special Envoy had pointed out the Congolese

Abubakar Press Briefing - 2 - 30 August 2000

leader's concerns to Dr. Salim, he had promised to look into the issue and to discuss it with regional leaders.

Was President Kabila's decision not to work with former Botswana President Ketumile Masire, the neutral facilitator of the inter-Congolese dialogue, final? another journalist asked. If so, what did the OAU think should be done?

The Special Envoy replied that the OAU and regional leaders were looking into that issue. One approach that they wanted to sell to President Kabila was the appointment of deputies to work with Mr. Masire. On the other hand, the facilitator had said he was ready to step down if he was the problem.

Which concerns had caused President Kabila to restrict the movement of United Nations personnel and to refuse to allow their deployment in his country in the first place? another journalist asked.

General Abubakar explained that President Kabila had been upset that the international community had not lifted a finger to come to his country's rescue for 11 months while it was being invaded, in contrast to what had happened in Kosovo, East Timor and elsewhere. He felt the United Nations should have acted faster. However, he had now agreed to the deployment of Senegalese, Pakistani, Ukrainian and other troops.

Did the Special Envoy feel his mission was complete while he had not met with Congolese rebel leaders? another correspondent asked.

General Abubakar replied that the deployment of United Nations personnel had been hindered by difficulties imposed by President Kabila's Government. Leaders of the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) had told him at Goma that they had played their part and were now waiting for action from President Kabila and from the United Nations. Now that the President had agreed to the deployment, perhaps the peace process would move forward.

Another correspondent asked for the Special Envoy's assessment of President Kabila's commitment to meet his obligations to the United Nations.

General Abubakar said he had concluded from his meeting with the President that he wanted peace for his country and an end to the killing of Congolese by the aggressors.

Another correspondent asked whether President Kabila would be willing to discuss the withdrawal of foreign troops supporting his Government. Would he feel more secure with the presence of United Nations troops, or with the withdrawal of invading forces?

General Abubakar, a former President of Nigeria, said that first and foremost, the President wanted the invaders to leave the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Anything else could be discussed after their departure.

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