PRESS STATEMENT ON DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Following is today’s press statement on the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the President of the Security Council, Sergey Lavrov (Russian Federation):

Members of the Council welcomed the significant progress made in the inter-Congolese dialogue just ended in Sun City, South Africa, on 19 April.  They commended the mediation efforts of President Mbeki and the Facilitator.

The political agreement reached at the dialogue between the Government and the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC), to which a majority of the participants were also parties, could facilitate the political transition and help to consolidate the regional peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo based on the Lusaka Agreement and the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.

Members of the Council noted that some participants, and in particular the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD), have declined to be parties to the accord. This disagreement threatens the hopes of peace that emerged in Sun City.

They called on all the Congolese parties to continue their negotiations and to join in the political process that has just been launched, as well as to refrain from any action likely to hinder that process or to lead to a resumption of hostilities.

The members of the Council strongly urged all the States signatories to the Lusaka Agreement and the countries of the region to respect and support the desire for unity, democracy and peace which the Congolese have just unambiguously expressed at Sun City.

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