PRESS STATEMENT BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ON DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Following is today’s press statement on the Democratic Republic of the Congo by Stefan Tafrov (Bulgaria), President of the Security Council:

The members of the Council welcome the measures announced by Uganda, Angola, Zimbabwe and Rwanda for the full withdrawal of their troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the start of their implementation.  They encourage the States concerned to continue this course, and emphasize the need for this withdrawal to be transparent and verified by United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC).

The members of the Council emphasize the importance they attach to progress also being made in the disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration (DDRRR) process.

The members of the Council welcome the steps taken by the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to begin to arrive at a settlement of the issue of the armed groups, particularly the prohibition of the activities of the FDLR. They encourage the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to continue on this course and in particular to ensure that the persons sought by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) are handed over to it.

The members of the Council reiterate their support for the efforts of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, Mr. Niasse, and recall the importance they attach to an inclusive political agreement on the internal political transition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The members of the Council call on the parties to secure a cessation of the human rights violations in the east of the country, particularly in Ituri and South Kivu.  They demand that neither of the parties should seek to derive a territorial advantage from the current situation.

The members of the Council have taken good note of the Secretary-General's special report on MONUC and are in the course of studying ways in which MONUC could extend support to the parties in the implementation of the Pretoria and Luanda agreements.

* *** *