Secretary-General appeals for ceasefire, separation of forces in eastern Democratic

Republic of Congo, after continued fighting between army, armed group

 

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General is following developments in the border areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda with increasing concern.  The continued fighting between the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Congrès National pour la Défense du Peuple (CNDP) of Laurent Nkunda adds to the suffering of the civilian population and risks provoking wider conflict in the region.

The Secretary-General appeals to the CNDP and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to immediately observe an effective ceasefire and to cooperate with the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) to achieve a separation of forces.  He further urges all parties to proceed without delay with the implementation of the disengagement plan elaborated by MONUC, to respect their commitments under the Actes d’engagement, and to make full use of the mechanisms of the Amani programme to this end.

The Secretary-General reiterates that MONUC will act within its mandate to protect civilians threatened by armed groups, and to prevent any encroachment on the main population centres and major arterial roads.

The Secretary-General calls on all States in the region to prevent their territories and nationals from being used to aid armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.  He urges the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to bridge their differences using diplomatic and other peaceful means available to them, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo-Rwanda Joint Verification Mechanism, and to redouble their efforts to implement the Nairobi Communiqué.  The Secretary-General stands ready to assist in this regard.

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For information media • not an official record