Bernard Kouchner and David Miliband call on the Democratic Republic of the Congo to restart the Goma and Nairobi peace processes (November 2, 2008)
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Situation on October 28, 2008
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On their visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania from October 31 to November 2, Bernard Kouchner and David Miliband delivered a very clear political message from the European Union on the need to calm tensions in the east of the DRC. Dialogue must resume so as to restart as quickly as possible the Goma and Nairobi peace processes which are the appropriate framework for bringing lasting stabilization to the situation in the region.
The message was heeded since Presidents Kagame and Kabila accepted the principle of a regional meeting which should be held very soon in Nairobi so as to give new impetus to the peace processes.
The meeting between the minister, Mr. Miliband and Tanzanian President Kikwete, current president of the African Union, established the common commitment of the European Union and African Union to work together to organize this meeting.
The joint visit also served to recall the need for urgent humanitarian action to help the displaced, specifically by securing supplies, so as to prevent the current crisis from worsening. In the present circumstances this action implies the reorganization and redeployment of personnel with MONUC which has 17,000 members in the DRC.
The two ministers, who hailed Mr. Ban Ki-moon’s efforts, relayed this wish to MONUC and Alain Le Roy, the UN under-secretary-general for peacekeeping operations, who also traveled to the region to assess the current deployment of MONUC.
The two ministers will report on the trip to their EU counterparts who are meeting today in Marseilles prior to the foreign affairs ministerial meeting of the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean.
Situation on October 28, 2008
France is greatly concerned about the ongoing fighting in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo and its humanitarian consequences.
It calls on all the parties concerned to implement the disengagement plan drawn up by MONUC, and to commit fully to the search for a political solution to the crisis in the framework of the Goma and Nairobi processes.
France calls in particular on Laurent Nkunda’s CNDP to lay down their arms and immediately and unconditionally return to the peace process.
It wishes an end to the activity of the FDLR and other Rwandan armed groups operating in the east of the DRC.
France encourages the governments of the DRC and the Republic of Rwanda to intensify their cooperation in order to ease tensions, especially in the framework of the joint verification mechanism.
It reiterates its full support for MONUC’s action carried out in difficult conditions in order to protect civilians who are once again the first victims in the current crisis.
France welcomes the appointment of a new government of the Democratic Republic of Congo which will have to confront the challenges currently facing the DRC, foremost among them the settlement of the crisis in the east of the country.
France will actively participate in today’s Security Council meeting on the situation in the DRC. This question will be on the agenda of the next general affairs/external relations council.
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"What can Europe do? First of all, Europe can support - and it’s done so - the UN efforts. I haven’t yet been in touch with Mr Ban Ki-moon - I will be this afternoon - but Javier has talked to him and he will tell you about that. Yesterday there was a United Nations Security Council meeting and a Presidency Statement. The Secretary-General’s resolute efforts are focused on the refugee situation."
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France / Democratic Republic of Congo (in French)