PRESS STATEMENT BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

PRESS STATEMENT BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Following is the text of today’s press statement on the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the President of the Security Council, Wang Yingfan (China):

Members of the Security Council are concerned at recent information from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Government still maintains positions beyond the disengagement line.

The FLC (Front de Libération du Congo) has not yet fulfilled its commitment to withdraw its forces to agreed-on positions by 1 June 2001.

The RCD (Ralliement pour la Démocratie au Congo)-Goma has failed to disengage Kisangani and has obstructed the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) operations.

Council members therefore called on all forces to withdraw to the agreed-upon positions as a matter of urgency.

Council members expressed the hope that this issue can be addressed through the institutions established by the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement, and that all the parties to the Lusaka Agreement will honour the commitments they have made to each other and the international community.

Security Council members expressed concern at the threat to the peace process posed by the activities of groups such as the ex-FAR/Interahamwe, the FDD (Forces pour la Défense de la Démocratie) and the FNL (Force Nationale de Libération), and reminded all parties, including the Government of the DRC that -- under Security Council resolution 1355 and other resolutions -- they should cease immediately all support to such groups.

Council members, in this respect, call on all parties to demonstrate full commitment to DDR, disengagement and withdrawal processes by ending all forms of support to the armed groups, by providing full information to MONUC, and by resolving any discrepancies between actual positions and those set out in the agreed disengagement plans.

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