Security Council meeting 4395

The President

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Belgium, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia in which they request to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council's agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the discussion without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure.

There being no objection, it is so decided.

On behalf of the Council, I extend a warm welcome to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mr. Léonard She Okitundu.

The President

In accordance with the understanding reached in the Council's prior consultations, and in the absence of objection, I shall take it that the Security Council agrees to extend an invitation under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure to Mr. Amos Namanga Ngongi, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

There being no objection, it is so decided.

I invite Mr. Amos Namanga Ngongi to take a seat at the Council table.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda.

The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations.

Members have before them the ninth report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, document S/2001/970.

I should like also to draw the attention of the members to document S/2001/998, which contains a letter dated 23 October 2001 from the Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo addressed to the President of the Security Council.

As there is no list of speakers for the Council members, I would invite those members who wish to speak or ask questions to so indicate to the Secretariat as from now.

I now give the floor to Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ngongi to introduce the report of the Secretary-General.

Mr. Ngongi (Special Representative of the Secretary-General)

It is both an honour and a pleasure for me to come to the Security Council and have the privilege of presenting the ninth report of the Secretary-General on the deployment of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) (S/2001/970).

The report contains the Secretary-General's recommendations for entry into the third phase of MONUC's deployment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well a concept of operations for the approval of the Council. The third phase will involve the total withdrawal of all foreign forces from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as the disarmament, demobilization and repatriation of non-signatory armed groups. In the report now before the Council, the Secretary-General proposes ways of approaching these difficult tasks.

Another area of concern is the continued military occupation of Kisangani by the Rassemblement Congolais pour la démocratie (RCD). The Secretary-General informed RCD leaders, during his meeting with them in Kisangani on 3 September, that the demilitarization of the town remained a priority issue, both for the Security Council and for him personally. MONUC has continued to press this matter in its contacts with the RCD.

The Secretary-General's plan for the third phase is to deploy MONUC personnel in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from a secure base to be established in the town of Kindu, on the Congo River. Initially, MONUC would deploy a force of some 400 men in Kindu, building up later to some 2,000. At this point, it is envisaged to remain within the strength of 5,537 authorized by the Security Council in its resolution 1291 (2000).

The main objective of the Kindu deployment, which would be robust enough to deter any potential attackers, would be to establish a secure base from which civilian personnel who deal with disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, repatriation (DDRR) and human rights issues and provide humanitarian assistance would be able to go into the area to carry out their work.

During the initial stages of phase III, MONUC and the parties will continue to work on plans for the withdrawal of foreign forces and will gather the information needed to undertake the voluntary disarmament and demobilization of the armed groups. It should be recalled that these groups did not sign the Lusaka Agreement and that, so far, MONUC has had no contact with their leaders. Their exact numbers, their location, the quantity of armaments that they possess and their intentions are not known with any certainty. The armed groups have a violent history, and some of them are still engaged in the continuing fighting in the east. It will therefore be necessary to approach them with great care.

It is intended that MONUC's presence and activities will have a normalizing and stabilizing effect on the situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We have observed in many of the places where MONUC is deployed that the population increases as people return from taking refuge in the bush. A very clear example of this is the tenfold increase in the population of Mbandaka since the deployment of the Senegalese battalion earlier this year.

MONUC will also continue assisting efforts to open the Congo River, which is perhaps the single most effective step that could be taken to restore peace throughout the country; mitigate humanitarian distress, including hunger; strengthen the territorial integrity of the country; and promote the rebuilding of communities disrupted by the conflict.

Before concluding my statement, I would like to bring to the attention of the Council some recent developments.

Mr. Ngongi (Special Representative of the Secretary-General)

The elements that I would like to bring to the Council's attention relate, first, to the inter-Congolese dialogue; secondly, to the situation of the former Rwandese combatants at Kamina; and, thirdly, to the troubling situation in the north-eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

As the Council knows, the inter-Congolese dialogue began in Addis Ababa on 15 October, as agreed at the preparatory meeting in Gaborone. Unfortunately, because of insufficient resources, only 80 people took part in the Addis Ababa meeting, instead of the 300 who were expected to do so. The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo raised objections about the reduced number of participants and refused to allow substantive issues to be addressed. After several days, the governmental delegation returned to the capital, Kinshasa. On 21 October, the neutral facilitator, Sir Ketumile Masire, announced that the dialogue would be postponed until a later date. Following an invitation from the South African Government, it is expected that the dialogue will soon be resumed in South Africa.

With regard to the second issue, in my absence, President Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo summoned my deputy in the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ask why MONUC had not yet begun the technical work involved in interviewing the 3,000 individuals located at Kamina.

It should be noted that, after two attempts to carry out its work, MONUC has been unable to begin such practical tasks because of fears on the part of the Government and the so-called leadership of the groups of people located at Kamina that answering certain questions about the identity and previous activities of those individuals might put at risk the security of the former combatants or of their family members.

It should be noted, however, that the questions that MONUC would like to ask those individuals already appear in the document adopted by the Political Committee on 4 May in Lusaka. Fortunately, I am able to say that, after making two reconnaissance trips, MONUC has sent a technical team to Kamina, and I hope that we will be in a position to begin that practical work.

With regard to the third issue, I have received some worrying information about the situation in the north-eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to that information, Uganda and Rwanda are in the process of reinforcing their military presence in the area of Kanyabayongo, which is north of Goma. With the agreement of the two parties concerned, which has already been obtained, MONUC will be sending a verification mission in the near future.

I should like to conclude by thanking the Security Council for the support that the Council has continued to provide for MONUC.

The President

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, His Excellency Mr. Léonard She Okitundu.

Mr. She Okitundu (Democratic Republic of the Congo)

I should like first of all to undertake the pleasant task of congratulating you, Mr. President, on your skill and knowledge in guiding the work of the Security Council for this month of October.

My delegation would like to join in the unanimous tribute to the French delegation for its work in presiding over the Council last month and to congratulate it for the outstanding way in which it handled the tragic events that plunged the United States of America and the world into mourning as a result of the horrendous attacks on New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania, which caused incalculable human and material loss.

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was among the first to condemn those acts of terrorism, and we join with the United States of America and other States throughout the world in trying to combat that scourge in all of its forms.

My delegation would like to take this opportunity to thank very sincerely the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, on his recent historic visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That visit was necessary in that it made it possible for the highest-level United Nations official to see for himself the tragedy in which the Congolese people are caught up.

My delegation would also like to thank him for his personal investment in the quest for a lasting solution to that war of aggression, in particular by promoting summit meetings between the heads of State of the countries concerned. I encourage him to continue his efforts in that direction, as well as to explore other approaches conducive to the speedy attainment of peace.

The award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Secretary-General, which represents a great honour for Africa, was well deserved; it was the crowning moment of an entire career dedicated to the tireless search for peace in the world.

Finally, my delegation would like to thank the Secretary-General for having nominated as the head of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), Mr. Amos Namanga Ngongi, a native of Cameroon, in Central Africa, who I am sure has a perfect knowledge of the region, as well as of the mentality of the people there. I am convinced that Mr. Ngongi is a worthy successor to Ambassador Kamel Morjane, and I do not doubt for a moment that he will be up to the task of responding to the expectations for peace to which his illustrious predecessor happily gave rise.

I say to him "Be assured, dear brother, of my Government's full, sincere cooperation as you carry out your difficult tasks. Allow me to express to you, Mr. Special Representative, our gratitude for your excellent introduction of the ninth report of the Secretary-General on MONUC's activities."

In his speech at the beginning of this month at the annual conference of his party, Mr. Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, referring to a "moral duty" to provide international military and humanitarian assistance to any country in need, stressed that if the world continued to ignore the suffering of the African nations, like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ravaged by war, that would incite anger and frustration that could threaten global stability.

My delegation endorses those words. My Government has always affirmed the urgent need for serious, in-depth reflection leading to all necessary measures to restore confidence and bring about a return to normality in the Great Lakes region, in order finally to root out chaos and despair.

At a time when the peace process is entering a crucial, decisive phase, we must together tackle the remaining problems that impede the urgently needed implementation of the Lusaka peace process, in the best interests of the people of the Great Lakes region. The problems or obstacles relate to: disengagement; demilitarization of Kisangani; the disquieting situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; the inter-Congolese dialogue; phase III relating to the withdrawal of foreign troops and disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration programmes; and the humanitarian situation and the economic recovery of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Concerning the disengagement of forces on the ground, we welcome the effective cessation of hostilities along the line of confrontation. We agree with the Secretary-General about the implementation of phase II of MONUC deployment, but there were certain failings in carrying out the Kampala disengagement plan and some Harare sub-plans regarding the new defensive positions. The new defensive positions of the Congolese armed forces in Emate-Loa, Abunakambo, Losambo and Djefera are still being illegally occupied by the Mouvement pour la libération du Congo (MLC), which, in violation of the Kampala plan and the Harare sub-plans, retains administrative and police powers.

For its part, the Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie (RCD) continues to administer Pweto without any right to do so, despite MONUC's presence. I am still convinced that all these questions and the other substantive problems are not insurmountable and that appropriate solutions can be found in cooperation with MONUC and the Joint Military Commission.

With regard to the demilitarization of Kisangani, in the statement to the press on 11 October 2001 by its President, the Security Council called on the RCD-Goma to demilitarize Kisangani, as demanded by the relevant Security Council resolutions. My delegation, which appreciates the fact that the Security Council has recognized the dominant influence of Rwanda on the RCD-Goma, would have preferred that the Council demand with the same firmness the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from the town. At the risk of boring the Council, my delegation will keep repeating that it is essential that Kisangani and its population, who continue to suffer enormously from the pain of war and its aftermath, cease to be the symbol of the martyrdom of an entire nation. Failure to demilitarize the town risks strengthening the growing humiliation of the Congolese people. History gives ample evidence that such feelings bring a grave threat of extremist uprisings, as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom stressed.

Once again, I appeal to the Council to take the steps referred to in paragraph 28 of resolution 1355 (2001) to bring these two recalcitrant parties, signatories of the Lusaka Agreement, to respect their obligations and stop defying with impunity the entire international community, through the Security Council. In order to remove any pretext that Rwanda or the RCD may use, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo reiterates solemnly before the Council its commitment not to occupy Kisangani and its environs once it has been truly demilitarized. It is up to the Security Council to take all the necessary steps to make this demilitarization effective.

I turn to the disturbing situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The situation is indeed very disquieting and should be the focus of attention in the Security Council. It is marked, as the ninth report of the Secretary-General emphasizes, by an increase in massive human rights violations by the RCD and the Rwandan patriotic army, the intensification of fighting and the strengthening and concentration of Rwandan and Ugandan troops in Kanyabayongo, where they are clearly preparing to confront one another as they did before at Kisangani.

Members will recall that when the Harare sub-plans were being implemented, Rwanda offered unilaterally to withdraw by 200 kilometres, instead of the 15 kilometres in the Kampala plan. With the reinforcement of its troops, we can finally understand Rwanda's secret plan, which was really to perpetuate its domination of the people of Kivu. This explains the resumption of hostilities in Kindu, Fizi and other parts of the region. It also explains, as is clearly described by the Secretary-General in his ninth report, the refusal of the Rwandan army to authorize the MONUC sector commander to investigate the fighting of 29 September 2001 in Kindu.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo makes the Government of Rwanda and the RCD responsible for all the massive violations of human rights, and for the violence against MONUC personnel, in the part under its control. My Government wishes to make the Council aware, before it is too late, of the humanitarian tragedy that could result if nothing is done to stop the fourth confrontation of Rwandan and Ugandan troops on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

I come now to the inter-Congolese dialogue. My delegation has just come from Addis Ababa, where on 15 October the inter-Congolese dialogue was solemnly opened. All the participants expressed their desire to succeed in dialogue and overcome their differences. They agreed by consensus to resume the peace talks in the upcoming weeks in South Africa with all delegates present. I wish here to refer to the comments my Government made on 6 October 2001 regarding the proper holding of the inter-Congolese dialogue, as follows.

In keeping with the spirit and the letter of the Lusaka Agreement, as repeatedly stated by His Excellency Major-General Joseph Kabila, President of the Republic, it has been agreed that a totally inclusive dialogue should be organized in order to bring about national reconciliation. However, with the same format at Addis Ababa as at Gaborone, the national dialogue lost its inclusive character, which the President of the Republic and the entire Congolese people favoured. Legitimate claims by certain representatives of civil society who felt that they were unjustly excluded must be properly addressed. The political opposition, as well as civil society, as defined in chapter 5 of the Lusaka Agreement, is not represented in all its diversity. Other specific problems, particularly involving the Mayi-Mayi resistance and the RCD-ML, have not been resolved either. The facilitation seems to be running into material problems, which must be resolved.

It should also be recalled that one of the objectives of the Lusaka Agreement to be attained by the inter-Congolese dialogue is to restore a new political order as a result of free, democratic, transparent elections. It is up to us, Congolese, to resolve all the major issues concerning the life of the State and the governance of our nation, in particular: the form of the State; its political regime; the nature of our economy; and national reconstruction. The Council will easily understand that from the point of view of my Government it is imperative to carefully prepare for the dialogue so that its conclusions can be accepted and be applicable to everyone. We are particularly happy that the facilitator has finally recognized that the Government's position is defensible and in keeping with the spirit of Gaborone, and that in its latest statement the Council has called on all participants for support.

My Government is very grateful to the Organization of African Unity (OAU) for having taken the necessary steps to provide support to the facilitator. We welcome with satisfaction the announcement made by the OAU that it will open a liaison office in Kinshasa, as well as a liaison mechanism with the Office of the facilitator.

I assure the Council that my Government is strongly committed to implementing two chapters enshrined in the Lusaka Agreement -- that is to say, the political chapter for holding the inter-Congolese dialogue without excluding anyone -- and here the Addis Ababa meeting will have been a very important stage in this process -- and the military chapter, with the disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration (DDRRR) programme.

I will now speak about phase III on the orderly withdrawal of all foreign forces, as well as the DDRRR programme. The holding of the national dialogue gives rise to a lot of hope on the part of the Congolese people, who aspire to peace. But there can be no peace unless Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi withdraw their forces from our national territory. How can one implement the resolutions of the dialogue in the context of occupation? The dialogue would be pointless if other aspects of the Lusaka Agreement, particularly the withdrawal of foreign forces, are not implemented. Indeed, we note here that the Government and its allies have made a lot of tangible efforts to speed up the implementation of the Lusaka Agreement, in particular concerning the withdrawal of all of the Namibian forces and a total halt to any troop movements.

On the eve of the work now under way in the Security Council, withdrawal movements have been occurring, accompanied by much international media attention, and we need to make sure that this demonstration is not just being used as a propaganda tool to delude the international community about the real intentions of those involved. With regard to one of the parties in particular, the theatrical alleged withdrawal of some of its military forces is not at all comparable with the significant reinforcement of that party's troops in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's territory. Any withdrawal movement and any deployment must be observed. That is why my Government can only support the recommendation of the Secretary-General contained in paragraph 98 of his report, in which he asks, the Security Council to authorize MONUC to start phase III of its deployment, in keeping with the new concept of operation that he has defined.

However, concerning the optimal implementation of phase III, my Government continues to stress the need for an increase in the number of military personnel of MONUC committed to this job beyond the limit established by Security Council resolution 1291 (2000). Similarly, the international community must encourage Uganda to complete the repatriation of its forces, and it must demand that Rwanda withdraw its troops in keeping with Security Council resolution 1304 (2000).

For its part, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is unilaterally trying to find a solution to the DDRRR programme of Rwandan citizens, whose presence in the country continues to be used by the Rwandan Government as a fallacious pretext -- even an alibi -- to justify its occupation of Congolese territory by its regular troops. My Government has thus started to disarm and canton the 3,000 individuals from armed groups of Rwandese origin in Kamina, in keeping with the provisions of the Lusaka Agreement, Chapters 9.1 and 9.2, with Security Council resolution 1355 (2001) and with the Kampala and Harare plans and sub-plans on the disengagement and the redeployment of armed forces.

By proceeding with this operation, my Government has once again demonstrated our resolve pursuant to the provisions that I mentioned before. It is up to the Rwandese Government to reciprocate concretely by actually withdrawing its troops from my country. These gestures could restore the climate of trust that our war-torn populations sincerely hope for.

My Government is prepared to be totally transparent on this question. For that reason, it has authorized the international community, through MONUC, to have total freedom of movement throughout the free territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to allow visits to the various military barracks to convince themselves of our resolve to settle this question. In fact, it is planned that a MONUC team visit the Kamina base today, as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General recalled a little while ago, to identify Rwandese nationals located there. It is also my Government's intention to give that team every possible assistance required for the visit.

Concerning the humanitarian situation and the economic recovery in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, apart from points that are directly related to the polemical aspects of the settlement of the war of aggression in our country, the Secretary-General's report covers several other aspects that are highly important for our country. As concerns the looting of natural resources and other forms of wealth in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is in violation of our national sovereignty, this phenomenon is going on at a frenetic pace. My Government urges the group of experts that was set up to study the matter to continue its investigations and to complete its work within the deadline set, in order to enable the Council to take all necessary steps to put an end to all illegal activities of natural resources exploitation, which fuels this war of aggression. The Council has repeatedly expressed its concern at this phenomenon and has stressed the importance it attaches to the conclusions that will appear in the final report to be submitted shortly to the Council. To this end my Government assures the Council of its full cooperation with the group of experts.

With regard to human rights, my Government regrets the resignation of Mr. Roberto Garretón from his post as Special Rapporteur for human rights for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I pay tribute to Mr. Garretón. He has been instrumental in raising awareness among the Congolese regarding questions relating to the defense of human rights. I wish him every success in his new post.

Nevertheless, despite great progress human rights problems in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are still acute, particularly in the eastern provinces of the Republic, which are under occupation. In order to tackle the defense of these rights, the Council should authorize MONUC to considerably increase the number of human rights specialists. These people, in coordination with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the specialized agencies, could work out policies and activities aimed at accompanying the efforts already made by the Government in order to protect these rights throughout the territory of the Republic.

The humanitarian situation is highly precarious for the Congolese, who suffer from the scourge of war, and for the millions of refugees who have fled situations of breaches of the peace in their countries. Humanitarian corridors have been identified by MONUC and by the Security Council mission, which honoured us with a visit last May. We really need to set up a system to protect the existing humanitarian corridors and to create other corridors, too, particularly in making sure that there is free circulation and that the roads, rivers and railroads are protected from Kinshasa to Kindu, from Kisangani to Kindu, from Bunia to Kindu, from Bukavu to Kindu and from Lubumbashi to Kindu.

More than Katako-Kombe in the province of Kasai Oriental, Kindu, the former Port-Empain in Maniema province, serves, because of its infrastructure, as a genuine centre of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and an export port for Congolese products. A deployment of MONUC in that city would promote and strengthen the economic functioning of Kindu in the best interests of the people of Maniema and Nord-Kivu and Sud-Kivu.

The efforts of the World Food Programme (WFP), particularly in northern Katanga, are highly commendable. The WFP is one of the United Nations agencies that would definitely benefit from the proximity of a United Nations logistical base in Kindu.

Turning to medical services, I wish to convey my deepest gratitude to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and to the international community for the vaccination campaigns, particularly against poliomyelitis. Furthermore, as the Secretary-General's report stresses, MONUC and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) are now finalizing a prevention programme based on an information and education campaign. The United Nations should draw on the experience of the current leaders of UNAIDS, some of whom have been intimately involved over the last 15 years in national programmes to combat this pandemic. These leaders understand the particular situation of the Republic of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and they are in a good position to provide assistance in combating endemic diseases and pandemics, such as malaria or the HIV/AIDS virus.

UNICEF is also very much present in helping to protect children.

With MONUC, UNICEF has been involved in the demobilization and reintegration of vulnerable groups, including child soldiers. As the Secretary-General underlined in paragraph 56 of his report, planning, in close collaboration with the Minister of Social Affairs and Family, for a global strategy for dealing with child soldiers and street children is well-advanced for Kinshasa and other provincial cities.

With respect to the link between poverty, development and the current armed conflict, it is evident that the conference on peace, security, democracy and development in the Great Lakes under the aegis of the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity is becoming a necessity, in fact, an inevitable necessity.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo believes that a fair and lasting solution is within our reach. We must search for it and find it through frank and sincere dialogue, within a bilateral framework, naturally, and, even better, within the framework of that international conference on peace, security, democracy and development in the Great Lakes region. The conference is urgently needed, not only to enable the Democratic Republic of the Congo to recover its lost stability and basically rebuild a State on healthy and democratic foundations, while being mindful of the most fundamental rights of its citizens. The conference would also promote human rights, good governance, national reconciliation, democracy and the economic recovery of the entire Great Lakes region.

The conference will also promote the creation of an integrated network for education, transportation and tourism, given the interdependence of the economic structure of the countries of the Great Lakes region. The conference will also be able to take a decision on the resumption of activities of a regional regulating and stabilizing organ, as was in its time the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL), and even plan programmes for regional development in the framework of the management of the period following the war of aggression.

Before I conclude, I must reiterate the firm commitment of my Government to following through unreservedly with the national reconciliation process begun on 15 October 2001 in Addis Ababa and with its commitment to cooperating for a better conclusion to the process of disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and repatriation or resettlement (DDRRR).

My Government recommends that the Security Council agree to the request of the Secretary-General to rapidly deploy phase III of MONUC. My Government urges the Council to demand the total demilitarization of Kisangani, as desired by the inhabitants of that long-suffering city.

Finally, in the search for a lasting peace for the entire Great Lakes region, my Government is going to continue to commit itself to the Arusha process for Burundi, and we renew our encouragement and total support for the facilitator, Nelson Mandela.

I thank you, Sir, and all members of the Council for their unflagging attention displayed in the quest for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Thank you for your attention. I remain at your disposal for any questions or concerns you wish to raise.

The President

I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for his kind words addressed to me.

May I, on behalf of all present, extend a warm welcome to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who has kindly joined our deliberations on the very important issue before us today.

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Zimbabwe, in which he requests to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council's agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite that representative to participate in the discussion, without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure.

There being no objection, it is so decided.

The President

I will now open the floor to members of the Security Council. The first speaker inscribed on my list is Ambassador Levitte.

Mr. Levitte (France)

We welcome Minister Léonard She Okitundu.

The French delegation associates itself with the statement that will be made by the permanent representative of Belgium on behalf of the European Union. However, I would like to make a few comments in my national capacity.

First, I would like, in the presence of the Secretary-General, to pay a warm tribute to the Special Representative of Mr. Kofi Annan, Mr. Amos Ngongi. This is the first opportunity we have had to hear him in New York since he assumed his duties in Kinshasa in September. We have all noted the extent to which he has already mastered the details of this dossier, despite its extraordinary complexity.

Similarly, I would like to pay tribute to the exceptional work accomplished by the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) on the ground. Deployment of that operation to support the peace process also has a considerable impact on the life of the Congolese population, as testified to in the report of the Secretary-General. I was impressed to learn, for example, that the population of Mbandaka has grown prodigiously since the arrival of MONUC contingents. The Council, which visited the city of Mbandaka in May, was able to appreciate the extent to which the arrival of MONUC staff has brought hope to peoples who, for too long, have known only war and insecurity. To give hope to the Congolese people is exactly what the report before us proposes.

France gives its full support to the recommendations contained in the report related to the future of MONUC and the transformation of its concept of operations. The third phase of the deployment of the force must commence, and we must begin to increase MONUC's presence in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is entirely in keeping with the position that we have always defended in the Council. MONUC must go to the border areas, where an essential part of the problem exists and where part of the conflict's solution is to be found. By beginning phase III and deploying to the east, MONUC can better prepare itself to support the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and repatriation or resettlement (DDRRR) of foreign armed forces present in the country. This is one of the essential facets of the peace process. MONUC must establish contact, and then a regular and trustworthy relationship, with those armed groups, about which we still lack information.

Phase III will also make it possible for MONUC to prepare to accompany the withdrawal movement of the foreign forces in the country. Some countries have already begun withdrawal -- completely, in the case of Namibia, and in large part, in the case of Uganda. We are gratified by that. Other countries have not yet done this, and they must start preparatory work without delay, then start withdrawal.

With respect to DDRRR and to the withdrawal, parties to the Lusaka Agreement have promised to give us the information necessary for MONUC to carry out its mission. Some information has been communicated, but it is not sufficient. Now, very quickly, that operational information must be transmitted to MONUC.

The report touches upon other important points of the peace process, first and foremost, the question of Kisingani. The Council, in resolution 1304 (2000), called for the demilitarization of the city. The Secretary-General himself, during his visit to the region in September, stressed the importance he attaches to this issue. The report stresses the essential role the situation in Kisingani plays in the future of the peace process. It is the third-largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the most afflicted by the conflict. It is up to us to examine, in close collaboration with the Secretariat, how the activities of MONUC and United Nations agencies can help make progress on this issue.

The inter-Congolese dialogue is another of the pillars in the peace process, as defined in the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement. Following the Addis Ababa meeting, we encourage all the Congolese parties to work to ensure progress in the dialogue, in order to restore as soon as possible the positive spirit that characterized the August meeting, which was such an important milestone in the peace process.

The report of the Secretary-General rightly stresses that the situation, generally speaking, is moving in the right direction. But some issues continue to be of great concern to us, and we must consider how the Council and the entire international community can try to address them. First of all, fighting continues in the East of the country, where there is a lack of security, which has its primary impact on the civilian population. Every party to the conflict must bring all its influence to bear to put an end to that situation. The human rights situation remains a grave concern; we cannot fail to regret the departure of the Special Rapporteur for human rights, Mr. Roberto Garretón, who came often to the Council to describe, with conviction, his efforts to make progress in that area.

Secondly, the humanitarian situation throughout the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is disastrous. The country faces an exceptionally grave economic situation, which makes it even harder to settle the conflict. International financial institutions have understood that the future of the peace process depends on the assistance we are able to provide. This is an effort that the entire international community must be ready to make as promptly as possible. The reopening of river waterways has helped restore economic links among various regions of the country. But here again, the process has only just begun; it must be continued and broadened.

Thirdly, we all know that illegal exploitation of the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is among the catalysts of the conflict. Soon, we shall hear recommendations from Ambassador Kassem, which will help us decide on the proper course of action.

Finally, we have noted heightened tension in Burundi and also between Rwanda and Uganda. Those matters cannot be isolated from the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These crises can be settled only in a regional framework. We agree with the Secretary-General, who in his report expresses the view that Burundi should be associated more closely with the Congolese process.

The peace process is making headway, but it has not yet reached the point of no return. The Council and MONUC have important roles to play, but responsibility for the peace process must be borne first and foremost by the parties to the conflict. The Security Council is rightly planning to hold a further meeting with the ministers members of the Political Committee of the Lusaka Agreement. That meeting, which will probably take place in New York on 9 November, will enable us to mark a new stage in the partnership that has been established. Such trusting dialogue, reinforced by progress and by the efforts of the parties to the conflict, will make it easier for us to help them implement their own peace process.

Mr. Jerandi (Tunisia)

I wish first of all to thank the Secretary-General for his ninth report (S/2001/970) on the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). I want also to thank Mr. Ngongi for introducing that report, and again to tell him and his staff how much we appreciate their great contribution to the restoration of peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I welcome the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; we appreciate his participation in today's meeting, which has been further enhanced by the presence of the Secretary-General.

This meeting takes place at a decisive time in the peace process, when the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is preparing to begin phase III of its deployment. It is thus important that the Council has involved troop-contributing countries and other non-members of the Council in its discussion of developments in the situation, in the light of the report of the Secretary-General.

We are pleased to note that there has been substantial progress in the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The ceasefire has held along the confrontation line. Disengagement and redeployment of forces are effectively complete. The withdrawal of foreign forces has begun. But the success of phase II does not mean that the peace process has reached the point of no return. Everything must therefore be done to consolidate the gains and to make progress towards peace irreversible. Here, the parties must continue to implement their commitments under the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement. The Security Council should accompany them in that process.

The continuing fighting in the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a source of profound concern. We appreciate the special attention devoted to this question by the Secretariat and by the Secretary-General, as well as by his Special Representative and MONUC, and their efforts to help resolve the many complex problems posed by this situation. We support the Secretary-General's recommendation that MONUC be authorized to enter phase III of its deployment. The new phase, which we have awaited with interest, will not be lacking in challenges. But the report of the Secretary-General is realistic on that score, and reflects that fact.

As MONUC prepares to enter phase III of its deployment, we must stress that the parties must implement the provisions of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement and of relevant Security Council resolutions.

We expect the process of the withdrawal of foreign forces from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to be complete and to take place at an accelerated pace, which would make it possible to restore the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The process of disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation or resettlement is a key element in this new phase. It requires the cooperation of all parties, adequate means and close coordination among all actors. Here, we encourage continued and intensified dialogue between the leadership of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and that of Rwanda. Likewise, we encourage continued and intensified dialogue between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi, as well as any initiative for constructive dialogue among regional leaders, which would be conducive to mutual trust and to commonly agreed solutions.

In his report, the Secretary-General recommends the deployment of MONUC to the East of the country. That would be a major operation. Beyond its role in the process of disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation or resettlement, that deployment would help to maintain the momentum of the peace process and, as has been demonstrated with earlier MONUC deployments, to facilitate the resumption of economic and social activities, which would give the people of the region hope. Here, it is indispensable for MONUC to enjoy full cooperation from the parties.

We recall the need to demilitarize Kisangani, as demanded by the Security Council in its resolution 1304 (2000).

With regard to the public information component described in the report of the Secretary-General, we appreciate the interest attached to the role of information in the activities of MONUC, and we support the strengthening of such activities. Peace is served also by a suitable information system.

The inter-Congolese dialogue is another essential element of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement; here, the Council has reiterated its full support for the dialogue and for the efforts made by the facilitator and his team. We hope that when the meeting is resumed the parties will truly interact in a spirit of compromise and tolerance, which will enable them to promote national reconciliation and to agree, without outside interference, about the future of their country.

Finally, we should stress the importance of the economic recovery of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the entire Great Lakes region. This undertaking will require the continued commitment and support of the international community as a whole.

Sir Jeremy Greenstock (United Kingdom)

We are extremely grateful to the Secretary-General for the report -- a very full and wise report -- and to the Special Representative for his briefing. We wish to extend a very warm welcome to him in this meeting with the Council. He has taken on perhaps the most complex special-representative job in Africa, and we have the full support of his qualities in that job. It is a great pleasure again to have Foreign Minister She Okitundu with us in the Council, and we thank him for his valuable comments to us this morning.

Like France, the United Kingdom endorse the European Union (EU) statement to be made later by Belgium, but I have a few comments to make in my national capacity. A good deal of progress has been made over the last four months, but we can all still see some worrying signs just as we come up to the hardest challenges. All the parties still have to show that they will live up to their commitments to maintain the ceasefire, to cooperate with United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) and to press ahead on the key issues, which to us are disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration (DDRRR), the full withdrawal of foreign forces and the success of the inter-Congolese dialogue. We also still wait for Kisangani to be demilitarized. Entry into phase III can be taken forward successfully only if there is progress in these areas, and not quite enough is yet being done by all the parties to ensure forward momentum.

The United Kingdom remains very concerned at the continued humanitarian situation and the reported human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially in the east. It remains important for all parties to continue to give support and access to aid agencies working in the country, to respect international humanitarian law and civilians, particularly women and children.

We welcome the withdrawal of Namibian and many Ugandan troops from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We continue to insist that all parties must withdraw their forces in accordance with Security Council resolutions and with the agreed plans.

Successful DDRRR is absolutely crucial. The Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and of Rwanda have a key role in creating the necessary environment. If this could, as the Secretary-General suggests, lead to the establishment of a joint coordination mechanism, that would be extremely valuable in moving DDRRR forward, addressing problems and providing a basis for outside support of the process.

Another element of creating the necessary environment is to ensure an end to all support to the armed groups. As for Kamina, we were glad to hear this morning from the Special Representative that a technical team has arrived there. We hope that early progress can be made on the DDRRR of the ex-combatants gathered there, with full cooperation between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and MONUC. I would be glad to hear further from the Special Representative what the next steps are going to be on Kamina once he has heard from the technical team.

Like others, we were disappointed at the suspension of the inter-Congolese dialogue in Addis. That dialogue has to resume again soon; we look forward to that happening in South Africa next month, and to the outstanding participation issues being settled. Gaborone clearly built a positive energy, and if that is not to be lost, all the parties have to recommit to the process firmly and publicly. There is also room for the political protagonists in the Congo and in the region to do more directly among each other to build bridges for a stable peace in the region.

The United Kingdom accepts the Secretary-General's recommendation for entry into phase III within the present mandate and ceiling. The proposed deployment into Kindu will be a logical part of this, both testing the commitment of the parties to work with MONUC and demonstrating the United Nations commitment to move ahead and the benefits this can bring, particularly to the local population.

We agree with Foreign Minister She Okitundu that with the cooperation of the parties Kindu can be a foothold from which to start seriously tackling the problems of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. We also support MONUC's intention to try to broaden contacts with representatives of the armed groups, including the Mayi-Mayi. The Mayi-Mayi are not party to Lusaka, but they are very much tied in with the prospects for peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and they cannot be allowed to continue their current violent behaviour with impunity.

It is good news that the Joint Military Commission has agreed on the final date for co-location with MONUC. The need for greater cooperation between elements in the field and MONUC headquarters in Kinshasa will increase as MONUC expands.

The United Kingdom reaffirms its strong support for the whole MONUC team, and for Mr. Ngongi personally. Minister She Okitundu referred this morning to Prime Minister Blair's recent words of determination to address Africa's conflict areas. We will continue to be closely engaged in the pursuit of a lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mr. Ouane (Mali)

First and foremost, I wish to welcome the presence of the Secretary-General at this important meeting on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the holding of which my delegation appreciates. I associate myself with the words of welcome that were addressed to the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mr. Léonard She Okitundu, and thank him for his statement. I would also like to thank Mr. Ngongi, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for having introduced us to the ninth report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC).

The report draws attention to positive developments in the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and emphasizes the need to maintain the momentum of the peace process, which apparently has entered a decisive and delicate phase. From this standpoint, I would now like to make a few comments.

First of all, the drive towards peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is moving forward -- at its own pace, of course, but it is still making progress. As the Secretary-General's report has emphasized, the ceasefire has been respected since January 2001, and the disengagement of foreign forces, their redeployment and the withdrawal of Namibian troops and a good many troops from Uganda have been carried out. Some progress has been made in the inter-Congolese dialogue. These results are significant advances towards finding a lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. To support such momentum it is essential, in accordance with the Lusaka Agreement and the relevant Security Council resolutions, that all foreign forces withdraw entirely from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and that the city of Kisangani be demilitarized.

Secondly, my delegation considers that deployment of phase III of MONUC must now commence in accordance with the operational plan put forward by the Secretary-General in paragraphs 59 through 87 of his report. These demands perhaps carry some political risks and certainly come at a financial cost. But we think that this is the price that must be paid in order to continue pushing the peace process decisively forward.

My third comment relates to the question of armed groups. This is undoubtedly one of the most important challenges in the new phase that MONUC is entering, particularly with regard to repatriation, resettlement and reintegration of these former combatants.

I should therefore like to emphasize the responsibility of signatories to the Lusaka Agreement to provide information as soon as possible on the troops and location of the armed groups. Ongoing dialogue between Presidents Kagame and Kabila is also necessary in order to achieve an acceptable and definitive solution to this problem.

In that vein, we feel that the Security Council's meeting on 9 November with the Ministers of the Political Committee of the Lusaka Agreement should be exploited to ensure that frank discussions take place concerning disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, repatriation or resettlement and the withdrawal of all foreign troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

We also believe it essential that, in order to support this progress in the peace process, the Bretton Woods institutions and donors mobilize around the United Nations to ensure that programmes for the repatriation, resettlement and reintegration of armed forces can get under way.

My fourth comment relates to the need to achieve progress in the peace process and to end hostilities. As the Secretary-General says in his report, this is increasingly urgent because grave violations of human rights continue and the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and throughout the region remains disturbing. In this connection, my delegation joins in the appeal to all parties to facilitate the international humanitarian efforts so desperately needed by the civilian population in the Congo.

In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm my best wishes to Mr. Ngongi for success in his work and to pay a tribute to all MONUC personnel for their important ongoing contribution to restoring peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mr. Gokool (Mauritius)

We extend a warm welcome to Mr. She Okitundu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and thank him for his important statement.

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting, which gives the Council and the general membership an opportunity to discuss the next steps in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

We also welcome the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ngongi, for the first time to this Chamber. We are grateful to him for his briefing and for presenting the ninth report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). We also wish him all the best in his assignment.

We greatly value the presence of the Secretary-General at this meeting.

We note with satisfaction that, since 8 June 2001, the general situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has remained relatively calm. The respect of the ceasefire by the parties concerned; the completion of the disengagement of forces and the deployment to new defensive positions in progress; and the withdrawal of foreign forces are encouraging signs for the peace process.

We commend the Secretary-General for meeting with Presidents Kabila and Kagame, the leader of the Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie (RCD) and other stakeholders in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during his trip to the region in early September in a bid to get their full commitment to the peace process.

Notwithstanding the overall positive developments, my delegation remains concerned by the continuing fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly in Kivu, between armed groups and the RCD. The status quo in Kisangani is yet another matter of serious concern to my delegation. The significant rise in the number of alleged ceasefire violations in the East must prompt the Council to take immediate action to increase the presence in that region.

Mauritius has, on several previous occasions, called for the third phase of MONUC's deployment. In this context, my delegation welcomes the Secretary-General's proposal to move to phase III of MONUC. We take note of the step-by-step approach of phase III, as proposed by the Secretary-General. We hope that the establishment of the mixed civilian and military presence, as well as the forward support based in Kindu, will not be delayed. We are aware of the political and security risks that phase III faces at this point in time; however, the Council has to make a choice of whether to move ahead or to allow the situation to deteriorate and reach a point of no return. By approving phase III of MONUC, the Council must also send a very clear message to the parties concerned that the further deployment of MONUC will directly depend upon their cooperation.

We need to place great emphasis on continued adherence to the ceasefire, the cessation of military assistance to the armed groups and the free movement of MONUC personnel, among other things. The Council must also demand that the parties to the conflict submit all the required information in order to allow further deployment to take place in respect of disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, repatriation or resettlement.

We hope that all these issues will be adequately addressed during the meeting early next month between the Security Council and the members of the Political Committee established by the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement. That meeting will be an opportunity for the members of the Political Committee to recommit themselves to the advancement of the peace process. While requesting the cooperation of all parties concerned, the Council must also express its readiness to expand its strength once MONUC starts receiving positive responses.

It should be stressed that one of the most important objectives of the third phase of MONUC should be to encourage and facilitate early disarmament and demobilization. It is encouraging to note that the Governments of both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda have set up national mechanisms for disarmament and demobilization. However, we share the view that greater political commitment will be required by those two countries in the disarmament to reintegration process through the establishment of a joint coordination mechanism. This can be possible only through dialogue between leaders of the two countries. The Council must therefore encourage the two leaders to meet more frequently.

There can be no advancement in the peace process without progress in the inter-Congolese dialogue. Notwithstanding the difficulties encountered at the meeting of the inter-Congolese dialogue in Addis Ababa, my delegation expresses its full support for the facilitator and his team in their efforts to reconvene in South Africa shortly. We thank the Government of South Africa for providing logistical support and for hosting the next round of talks. We would like once again to stress the need to ensure the all-inclusive nature of the conference with the participation of all the components of society. We also request the international community to fully support the dialogue, both politically and financially.

My delegation also looks forward to the report of the Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There is no doubt about the linkage that exists between the illegal exploitation of the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the continuation of the conflict. A comprehensive solution to the Democratic Republic of the Congo conflict must address the illegal exploitation of natural resources.

On the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, my delegation expresses its concern about the prevailing grave situation, exacerbated by the recent influx of refugees from the Central African Republic. We commend the United Nations Children's Fund, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other agencies for their efforts in trying to alleviate the sufferings of the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We call on the international community to enhance its assistance to the people in need.

As regards the human rights situation, we welcome the steps taken by the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to establish human rights norms and standards. Nevertheless, it is disturbing that human rights abuses continue to take place. We call upon parties to the conflict to demonstrate greater commitment to respecting human rights.

Finally, we once again express our support for MONUC's entering phase III of its deployment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I cannot end without commending MONUC personnel for the excellent work they are doing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mr. Cunningham (United States)

I, too, want to welcome Special Representative Ngongi's introduction of the Secretary-General's report, which we also commend. We also welcome the presentation by Foreign Minister She Okitundu and we are glad to see him back here. We hope that we will be able to meet with the Minister's colleagues from the Lusaka signatory States during Jamaica's presidency of the Security Council in November.

The presidential statement that we will adopt at the conclusion of today's meeting reflects our broad policy objectives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We will use the hoped-for meeting in November to outline the various areas in which we hope to see progress, areas that a number of my colleagues have already addressed. In today's meeting, however, I would like to focus on a specific problem -- a problem not of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Government's creation, and one that has resisted solution for the last seven years.

We know that the Congolese people are the victims, and not the creators, of groups such as the former Forces armées rwandaises (ex-FAR) and Interahamwe and the Burundian Front pour la défense de la démocratie. Nor were the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo complicit in the Rwandan genocide or in the events that led to armed rebellion in Burundi. But the fact that the problem was not created by the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo does not diminish its responsibility now in helping to find a solution.

In January, the Council met separately with Presidents Kabila and Kagame. In those meetings, my delegation said that neither country could hope to provide for its security needs if it adopted a policy of confrontation towards its neighbours. We also said that the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo had a right under international law to demand the withdrawal of all foreign forces from its territory, and that its neighbours had a similar right to demand that the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo not be used to launch attacks against them.

Through the good will of the parties, the disengagement line is holding and fighting has been confined to a relatively small area. However, within the area of current fighting, all the forces that threaten the welfare of the Congolese people remain intact. This is the time for the parties to address the most difficult issue in this process: the disarmament and demobilization of the armed groups.

The time has come for transparency from all the parties.

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo took the first step in inviting the United Nations to Kamina to meet with a group of people presented to the world as Rwandan guerrillas ready for a disarmament process. This very positive gesture was undermined by the manner in which it was carried out. The United Nations has to be able to screen each individual and ascertain his or her background and wishes, but contact between the United Nations and those in the camp was very limited. We cannot even say if the individuals presented were in fact Rwandans.

Still, Kamina was a start. One of the problems we have always faced is that none of us knows how many such individuals exist. The Government of Rwanda places the number in the tens of thousands; the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo says that the people the United Nations saw in Kamina represent all of the Rwandan guerrillas on Government territory. We are fairly confident that the reality lies somewhere in the middle.

We appeal to Minister She Okitundu to allow the United Nations to do its job in Kamina. If we succeed in demobilizing a small group, more may follow. We hope that when the United Nations returns, it will do so with the full cooperation and assistance of the Government. I welcome that the Minister addresses this in his comments today. The United Nations should be allowed to speak to everyone individually, and it should be allowed to ascertain who these people are, where they come from and where they would like to go. An unambiguous Government commitment to allow Kamina follow-through will constitute a positive signal to the international community and the region.

I want to briefly mention another point. Through you, Mr. President, the Council recently issued a call to the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and all other parties to cease any form of support for the armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. My Government believes that the cessation of arming is the necessary precondition for disarming negative forces. Although the Mayi-Mayi are not listed in the annex of the Lusaka Agreement, and although they are an indigenous Congolese resistance movement, arming them is still potentially fatal to the peace process. Rather than supplying them with arms, all parties should focus on bringing them into the inter-Congolese dialogue.

In calling on the heads of State of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to meet, we were in fact calling on them to embark on a process designed to transform mutual hostility into mutual security. We know that the Council will continue to support their efforts to work for a region where security rests on mutual interest and cooperation.

Mr. Wang Yingfan (China)

We would like to thank the Secretary-General for his ninth report on the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). We welcome his presence and that of his Special Representative, Mr. Namanga Ngongi, whom we thank for his briefing. In addition, we warmly welcome back to the Council the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mr. Léonard She Okitundu, and we thank him for his comprehensive statement.

The peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently at a crucial stage. China agrees with the Secretary-General's assessment of the overall situation contained in his ninth report. We also believe that the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is still under control. The ceasefire among all parties has continued to hold, and some foreign troops are being withdrawn.

Although the inter-Congolese political dialogue has been suspended for the time being, the process of political dialogue has nevertheless been activated. We call on all the parties to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to honour their commitments in good faith and as soon as possible by implementing the Lusaka peace Agreement and the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. It is only by doing so that the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo can continue to develop in a positive direction. The United Nations must play a greater role in facilitating reconciliation and mutual trust among all parties.

The focus of the Secretary-General's ninth report is on the deployment of phase III of MONUC. We agree with and support the Secretary-General's proposal on starting the deployment of phase III. A step-by-step deployment by the United Nations will help to sustain the momentum in the peace process. This will not only have symbolic value for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo -- and even in the Great Lakes region -- but will also have practical significance.

We also agree that MONUC's main role in phase III will be to establish reception centres where combatants can surrender their weapons, which will facilitate demobilization among all parties. Arrangements should be stepped up for disarmed combatants -- including for the 3,000 former combatants being received by the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo -- so that they can return to society in a smooth and peaceful manner. We favour the setting up by the Secretariat of a lean coordinating mechanism, within the existing framework, to study and address a series of post-conflict questions.

I would like to point out here that the United Nations is an important force for promoting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as in the Great Lakes region. However, it is not a decisive force. To put it precisely, the fate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains in the hands of the parties to the conflict. In order to facilitate the early achievement of peace and development in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region, the parties to the conflict must redouble their efforts, create an enabling environment and actively cooperate with MONUC in phase III of its deployment. For that purpose, all the parties concerned should proceed from their national interests and adopt a pragmatic and cooperative approach, restore dialogue and seek ways and means to achieve lasting peace. At the same time, foreign troops must withdraw unconditionally as soon as possible, and the parties concerned should put an immediate end to all kinds of support and assistance to the armed groups.

Miss Durrant (Jamaica)

First of all, my delegation welcomes the presence of the Secretary-General at this open meeting, which facilitates an exchange of views on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

We look forward to further discussions next month between the Political Committee of the Lusaka Agreement and the Security Council to explore further ways in which the Security Council and the countries in the region can sustain momentum for the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In this context, I wish to welcome the presence here today of the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to thank him for his important contribution to our debate.

The timing of today's meeting is also opportune, as it follows closely on the joint private meetings of the Security Council and the troop-contributing countries which took place on 18 and 22 October. At those meetings, we benefited from the substantive discussions on the main issues raised by the troop-contributing countries. This practice must be encouraged, as it can lead to more active consultations between the troop-contributing countries and the Security Council on the formulation, renewal and changes in mandate of peacekeeping missions.

I wish to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ngogi, for his briefing and for his introduction of the ninth report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). We wish him every success in his mission and take this opportunity to express to him and to the men and women of MONUC our appreciation for their exemplary service in the cause of peace.

The Secretary-General's report notes that, despite difficulties, the overall situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to be favourable. The report notes that the ceasefire along the confrontation line has held since January, the disengagement of forces and their redeployment to new defensive positions is almost complete, and some foreign forces have been withdrawn.

Nevertheless, the report also points to the disturbing, dangerous and persistent outbreaks of fighting in the east of the country. It is in this context that, while my delegation welcomes the recommendations of the Secretary-General on the next phases of deployment of MONUC and supports the intention to move towards phase III, we are mindful of the challenges which lie ahead in terms of implementation and therefore call upon all parties to cooperate fully with MONUC.

In particular, we call on all parties to cease support for armed groups operating in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as for hostilities to cease in other parts of the country. As MONUC deploys further eastwards, it is critical that the armed groups comply with, and fully implement, the relevant Security Council resolutions as well as the Lusaka Agreement.

The peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is now at a crossroads, and we must ensure that the gains achieved so far are not eroded. It is in this context that my delegation wishes to highlight some concerns which persist.

First of all, we wish to commend the facilitator, Sir Ketumile Masire, for organizing the successful preparatory meeting in Gaborone. As my delegation has insisted time and again, the inter-Congolese dialogue remains the most credible and viable means through which peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo can be attained.

The reports on the suspension of the dialogue in Addis Ababa are therefore disturbing. We wish to encourage all delegations to resume the dialogue and to remain focused on our ultimate goal: the determination of the future of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We have taken note of, and commend, the Government of South Africa's willingness to host the dialogue within one month by assuming the major share of the expenses involved.

Secondly, the ability to effectively carry out the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants within the Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the main challenges that must be overcome if the quest for peace is to be successful. As was clearly highlighted in the Secretary-General's report, it is critical to find durable solutions to the problem of armed groups, including the repatriation, resettlement and reintegration of ex-combatants into the society. We emphasize that it is up to the parties to the conflict to ensure that a conducive environment obtains for the successful implementation of phase III of MONUC.

As far as the regional context is concerned, we have taken note of the intention of the Secretary-General to strengthen existing cooperation between United Nations organizations and programmes, as well as the Bretton Woods institutions, with a view to achieving a precise division of labour in the Great Lakes region.

We have taken note of the Secretary-General's suggestion that the time has come for the parties to explore means of associating Burundi more closely with the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and we look forward to receiving further reports on this.

Next, my delegation wishes to agree with the Secretary-General that the need to advance the peace process and to end the fighting is all the more pressing as serious human rights violations continue to occur and humanitarian conditions for millions of Congolese remain extremely poor. The continuing incidents of torture and detention, the massacre of some 750 civilians, and the harassment and sexual abuse of women must be addressed immediately and the perpetrators brought to justice.

The lack of access to health care and the critical food needs of some 70 per cent of the population are particularly worrying, as the situation has the potential of being a trigger for further conflict. We appeal to the international community to continue to address these concerns in tangible ways, and we wish to commend the efforts of the humanitarian agencies, which, despite tremendous odds, have endeavoured to provide assistance to the populations in need.

Another issue of concern to my delegation is the demilitarization of Kisangani. We see the demilitarization and the restoration of civil authority as pivotal to the success of the peace process. As aptly stated by the Secretary-General, the demilitarization of Kisangani will greatly contribute to the revitalization of Congolese society and of the economy. We therefore call on the RCD-Goma to act in compliance with the relevant Security Council resolutions, and for the States in the region to use their influence to bring about demilitarization and full cooperation with MONUC and the peace process.

One other issue is the focus on information. We are pleased to note the emphasis in the report on developing United Nations radio into a source of accurate, credible and impartial information about all aspects of the peace process.

In conclusion, my delegation wishes to emphasize our commitment to achieving sustainable peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The positive momentum which has begun must not be allowed to dissipate, and we encourage all parties to seize the moment and continue on the path to peace.

Mr. Franco (Colombia)

I should like to thank the Secretary-General for his report on the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). We would like also to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ngongi, for the additional information he provided. We welcome also the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo at our meeting.

We have had the opportunity to study in detail the suggestions contained in the report, and we would like to comment on several aspects that we deem to be relevant under current circumstances.

We note with satisfaction the progress that has been made in the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The ceasefire on the confrontation line, the disengagement of forces and their redeployment to new defensive positions, and the withdrawal of some foreign forces from the territory are grounds for optimism.

We note also the fact that some difficulties persist, particularly in the eastern region. Accordingly, we join the other members of the international community in appealing to the signatories of the Lusaka Agreement to do their utmost to put an end to these confrontations, which threaten to jeopardize an effort in which the United Nations is actively participating.

The difficulties that developed in the inter-Congolese dialogue in Addis Ababa also deserve our attention. The decision to postpone that meeting will also postpone the pursuit of the fundamental goals of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, such as national reconciliation, decisions on the nature of governance in the country and relations with its neighbours to the east and to the south and of relations between the different communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo itself -- issues referred to in paragraph 96 of the report.

That obstacle, however, should not discourage us. What is important is that the parties are aware that the Security Council, troop-contributing countries and the United Nations are making enormous efforts, which should be properly responded to with substantive progress in that dialogue and with true support for the work of the facilitator. Success in that dialogue will, to a great extent, define the sustainability of the political process in that country in the long term.

Colombia supports the recommendation of the Secretary-General that MONUC should be authorized to embark on phase III of its deployment in the Congo, in accordance with the conditions set out in the report. The parties to the Lusaka Agreement should take that as a sign of our intention to move forward despite the difficulties. We trust that the message will be heeded by all the interested parties and that the draft presidential statement that we will adopt today will contribute to opening the way for a constructive, high-level dialogue between the parties to the Agreement and the Security Council -- and, perhaps, troop-contributing countries -- during the month of November, under the presidency of Jamaica.

Mr. Kolby (Norway)

I, too, would like to welcome Foreign Minister She Okitundu to this important meeting of the Security Council. We also welcome Mr. Ngongi as the new Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and we wish him every success in his very important task.

The progress made in the peace process during the last few months gives us some reason for hope. We note with concern, however, the lack of substantive progress made to date in the inter-Congolese dialogue. The political dialogue is a pivotal part of the peace process, as stipulated in the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement, and we urge the parties to show leadership and flexibility in moving the process forward as a matter of urgency.

The challenges at hand, as we prepare for phase III of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), are enormous, as illustrated in the Secretary-General's report. In our view, it is critical that, to the greatest extent possible, MONUC's mandate and activities be in conformity with the relevant recommendations of the Brahimi report.

Norway is supportive of the recommendation in the Secretary-General's report to advance the concept of operations, as proposed in paragraphs 59 to 87, provided that the parties to the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement come forward and display political will and leadership. In this regard, we look forward to the upcoming meeting between the members of the Political Committee under the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement and the Security Council, to be held here in New York in November.

The Secretary-General underlines in his report the necessity of establishing a viable programme for demobilization, disarmament and durable solutions for armed groups, as identified in the Lusaka Agreement. We support that proposal, and we would like to reiterate that pressure must be maintained on the parties so that the process can commence and, hopefully, be implemented as soon as possible. In this regard, firm pressure must be applied on Kinshasa and its allies to cease any support to the negative forces and the Mayi-Mayi rebels operating in the region. Needless to say, the all-important process of demobilization, disarmament and bringing about durable solutions cannot be effectively advanced if parties at the same time continue to re-arm the negative forces.

We agree that MONUC's role in organizing the efforts for demobilization, disarmament and durable solutions should be one of coordination, and that other United Nations programmes, agencies and non-governmental organizations are better equipped for the more technical tasks associated with those efforts. We support the proposal of MONUC to set up a consultative mechanism in Kinshasa and New York for this purpose.

Above all, we call on the Governments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to intensify their dialogue with a view to establishing a firm political understanding of the demobilization, disarmament and durable solutions process and a joint coordination mechanism. We would be ready to support such a mechanism, if established.

We also share the view expressed by the Secretary-General that there can be no lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo without a comprehensive settlement of the situation in Burundi. We are thus looking forward to the establishment of the multi-country programme for demobilization and reintegration in the Great Lakes region being prepared by the World Bank, in consultation with the United Nations and Governments in the region. Norway stands ready to consider supporting the programme as soon as it has been presented.

Furthermore, we remain deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation and the use of child soldiers throughout the region. The international community must relentlessly address these aspects.

Finally, I should like to take this opportunity to mention that Norway has now deployed five military observers to MONUC. We are pleased to join as a troop-contributing country.

Mr. Krokhmal (Ukraine)

My delegation, too, is grateful to the Secretary-General for his report, which contains a number of important recommendations to take the peace process forward in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our thanks also go the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ngongi, for his comprehensive briefing on the situation in the country. We welcome the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mr. She Okitundu, who is participating in today's meeting of the Council, and we would like to thank him for his important statement.

After the disengagement phase has been successfully completed, there will be numerous complex tasks ahead in the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in terms of moving forward the disarmament and demobilization of the armed groups and achieving the withdrawal of foreign forces from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We take note of the observation of the Secretary-General that, despite existing difficulties, the overall situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to be favourable. We believe that the momentum should be sustained by common efforts to continue to promote the peace process. The Security Council and the international community have always demonstrated their determination to assist the parties in their efforts to achieve peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the progress achieved during the two phases of the operation of United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) are testimony to that.

However, we strongly believe that the dynamic of the entire peace process can be maintained and moved forward only if the responsibilities and the political will of the parties is fulfilled and translated into real action. This is the driving force of the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, without which international support would be ineffective.

With respect to MONUC's future role, we welcome the Secretary-General's plans and recommendations concerning the initiation of MONUC's phase III deployment. We fully realize that the security situation, the political climate and logistical constraints require planning a step-by-step approach for that deployment. Given that the main focus of MONUC's phase III deployment is disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration (DDRRR) we agree with the Secretary-General that the main prerequisites for the establishment of an enabling environment in which the armed groups will give up their military options are the continued adherence by the parties to the ceasefire and the cessation of military support to the armed groups.

We also believe that constructive dialogue between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda and the demilitarization of Kisangani continue to remain critical for DDRRR. We urge the parties to fully implement their commitments under the Lusaka Agreement and the relevant Security Council resolutions.

We must mention the importance of the inter-Congolese dialogue for achieving national reconciliation, unity and peace, and we greatly welcome the efforts of President Masire towards facilitating the irreversibility of this process. We realize how important the parties' full cooperation with MONUC is. The provision by the parties of unrestricted access and exhaustive information to MONUC are only a few key elements of such cooperation. Since it is clear that MONUC's role in phase III would be the establishment of temporary reception centres for disarmament and the initial demobilization of former combatants, the close engagement of United Nations agencies, the Bretton Woods institutions, bilateral donors and non-governmental organizations in support of MONUC's coordinating efforts would be critical to the success of the DDRRR process as a whole. In this context, we welcome the Secretary-General's intention to take measures to strengthen cooperation between these entities through a clear definition of the division of labour.

The economic revival of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the important elements for a return to peace and stability, and it requires increased assistance from the international community. In this context, we are concerned about the continued plundering of the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and we look forward to the first analysis by the panel of experts.

The humanitarian situation and human rights violations continue to be a source of concern for the international community and they should be urgently addressed. We welcome the proposed expansion of civilian operations by MONUC, including the civilian police component. In this regard, I am pleased to indicate that the Government of the Ukraine is prepared to make its contribution to MONUC by providing personnel for the civilian police component.

Finally, in the context of our discussion today, my delegation hopes that the momentum that has been generated by the mutual efforts of the parties and the international community with regard to the Democratic Republic of the Congo will continue to move forward if we continue to move forward together. We are of the view that the presidential statement that we are to adopt today will send an appropriate message in this regard.

Ms. Lee (Singapore)

We thank the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for briefing us on the latest situation in his country, and we also thank the Secretary-General for his ninth report on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

We view the completion of phase II of MONUC's operations as a job well done under difficult conditions and we also extend congratulations to the MONUC team. However, we are concerned -- and this point has also been expressed by other colleagues around this table -- over the continued instability in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Therefore, the main point that we would like to stress today is that it is important to establish a United Nations presence in the trouble areas in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. As such, we support the Secretary-General's recommendation that MONUC move to establish a presence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo under phase III. However, before doing so, MONUC must be given the means and be ensured as far as possible that the conditions are conducive for it to achieve its objectives there. Failure would undermine MONUC's credibility and would make MONUC's work more difficult.

On the human rights situation, we feel that, even as MONUC moves forward with its deployment plans, it must not neglect its humanitarian and human rights responsibilities in areas where it has already established a presence. Success in these areas will provide tangible and persuasive evidence of the benefits of MONUC's presence and will help MONUC's confidence-building efforts and dialogue with the armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Should MONUC be seen as making little or no difference by its presence in existing areas, we think it would be difficult for MONUC to win the confidence of the population in new areas, let alone that of the combatants it hopes to disarm.

Finally, we call on countries in the region to cooperate fully with MONUC on the repatriation of ex-combatants who are their nationals. It is already very apparent to all of us that the security problems of these countries are closely interlinked. For the DDRRR effort to succeed, there must close cooperation and coordination among these countries and MONUC. Perhaps MONUC can consider setting up a coordination committee with the participation of these countries to ensure such close coordination, as well as the transparency of the DDRRR exercise.

Mr. Granovsky (Russia)

We welcome the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, His Excellency Mr. Leonard She Okitundu, and we are grateful to him for the statement he made containing a profound analysis of the situation in his country. I would also like to express gratitude for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ngongi, for having introduced the comprehensive report containing the concept of the step-by-step deployment of phase III of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC).

We support the recommendations contained in the report that this stage of the operation would be carried out within the current mandate of the Mission and the size of the troop strength authorized by the Security Council. In view of what has been planned for phase III -- the expansion of MONUC activities to areas where fighting continues -- we attach particular importance to compliance by the parties of the conflict with their obligations to provide adequate security conditions to United Nations peacekeepers. The thrust of the concept of phase III of the MONUC deployment to create conditions for voluntary disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration (DDRRR) of members of armed groups is in keeping with our approach regarding the impossibility of using force to try to resolve this problem. We believe that the success or failure of all efforts in this areas will depend ultimately on the extent to which people who were in the ranks of armed groups active in the Democratic Republic of the Congo feel protected upon returning to their home countries.

Despite the tragic nature of the events preceding the move to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the need to have just punishment for those guilty of genocide, we cannot fail to see that peace and security in the region will depend on the attainment of national reconciliation, the settlement of inter-ethnic conflicts and the democratization of political life, not only in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but in all States of the region.

An important condition for the phase III deployment of MONUC must remain strict compliance by the parties to the Lusaka Agreement with the commitments they undertook, as well as with the relevant Security Council resolutions. This applies primarily to the non-deployment of reinforcements and the speedy withdrawal from the Democratic Republic of the Congo of foreign armed troops. The provision of any support whatsoever to armed groups must be ended.

Once again -- here we repeat a point that has been made repeatedly -- our delegation wishes to state decisively that there is a need for the speedy demilitarization by the Security Council of the city of Kisangani. The failure of the leadership of the Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie (RCD) to comply with this demand of the Security Council, with the connivance of the Rwandan authorities, has become flagrant, and this merits the most severe condemnation.

A sine qua non for the future deployment of MONUC is cooperation by the parties with Mission personnel in resolving tasks covered by their mandate. We also call upon the Congolese parties to set aside their differences and cooperate with each other and the international facilitator, within the framework of the inter-Congolese national dialogue, during which the major parameters will have to be defined for the future political system in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Progress in these areas will determine our delegation's judgement about the presence among the parties of the political will to move the peace settlement forward, and will define our position regarding the recommendations for future steps to be taken within the deployment of phase III of MONUC.

Mr. Amin (Bangladesh)

We are outraged. We are outraged to learn once again about crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity committed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We read the Secretary-General's ninth report -- for which we are grateful to him -- under the heading "Territory controlled by the Front de libération du Congo":

"There have also been extremely disturbing reports about the situation in Aru, Ituri Province, where some 750 civilians have reportedly been massacred within a six-week period". (S/2001/970, para. 50)

The report continues, in paragraph 51, concerning "Territory controlled by the Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie":

"In the eastern provinces, reports have been received that RCD authorities continue to intimidate and harass human rights activists and to make arbitrary arrests".

We are also told about forced recruitment of young men into the army. We are told about systematic rape, ethnically motivated killing and targeting of refugees and internally displaced persons, and in paragraph 52 we read:

"In North and South Kivu Provinces, the Mayi-Mayi, Interahamwe and the Banyamulenge security forces have reportedly conducted a reign

of terror and brutal repression, as well as massacres against sympathizers or even persons suspected of sympathizing with opposing camps".

It is time we put an end to impunity for such gruesome crimes. We ask for an international inquiry into these acts and practices.

As for the Government-controlled territory, we note with appreciation that the Secretary-General reports in paragraph 45:

"The Government has made some progress in establishing human rights laws and standards".

But the Secretary-General also tells us of gross violations of civil and political rights and of other violations of fundamental freedoms and human rights.

It is appropriate that we have the honour of welcoming the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to join us in our deliberations. Council members, the broader United Nations membership and the audience would certainly like to hear from him about the allegations of serious human rights violations recorded in the Secretary-General's report.

I join previous speakers in extending a very warm welcome to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ngongi. We are grateful for his contribution to our discussion on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the meeting with the troop-contributing countries, in our informal consultations yesterday and at today's public meeting. He bears the flag of the United Nations in this embattled country.

I shall limit my statement to a few areas, beginning with disengagement and redeployment of forces. For completing the verification of 95 out of 96 new defensive positions, MONUC deserves our appreciation. It has accomplished an important part of its mandate, and we salute the leadership. We call on the Government, the Mouvement pour la libération du Congo (MLC), the FLC and the RCD to extend full cooperation to MONUC in resolving outstanding issues with regard to the remaining positions.

Secondly, as regards the withdrawal of armed forces, ironically, Namibia, an ally of the Democratic Republic of the Congo which went to that country in aid of a legitimate Government, has given an example by withdrawing its forces completely. Others should have withdrawn much earlier, although we welcome the withdrawal, however partial it is, of the Ugandan People's Defence Force (UPDF) from the Equateur Province. We encourage it to withdraw completely from the sovereign territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, pursuant to the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and to Uganda's own commitment in the Lusaka Agreement.

The continued presence of the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), reportedly totalling about 40,000 troops, is a matter of grave concern. They, in particular, and all other foreign forces, should withdraw from the Democratic Republic of the Congo -- again, as per their own commitment to, and in compliance with, the Council's persistent demands.

The Political Committee, we are told, criticizes the United Nations for its so-called hesitancy in deploying MONUC. We would like to hear the comments of the Secretary-General's Special Representative, Mr. Ngongi, in this regard, and in the contexts I have outlined.

Thirdly, on the subject of the demilitarization of Kisangani, it is regrettable that the RCD continues to occupy it and its environs in defiance of Council resolutions demanding the immediate demilitarization of the city and its environs. The RCD's excuse was the threat of the Mayi-Mayi and the Forces armées congolaises (FAC). But Kinshasa made it clear that it had no intention of occupying Kisangani. We would welcome a firm commitment of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in this regard, simply to deny any excuse for the continued occupation of Kisangani. We shall put our confidence in Mr. Ngongi in negotiating the evacuation of Kisangani and its environs by the RCD. The Council, as he knows, remains committed to authorize deployment of MONUC in the city. In fact, the authorization is already there. This should respond to any security apprehensions on the part of the civilians.

Fourthly, as regards cooperation with the Mission, we welcome two positive developments. First, as the Secretary-General states in his report, the parties continue to provide satisfactory security for MONUC military and civilian personnel. Local populations have welcomed them in each area of deployment. Secondly, the negative information campaign against MONUC seems, happily, to have ceased. The Congolese Government, the people of the Congo and the armed groups deserve our appreciation for the cooperative attitude shown thus far, and we encourage them to continue in this spirit.

The fifth area is the inter-Congolese dialogue, where the setback is discouraging, as has been said. We have noted the Government's position, as explained in the long letter from the Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and as elaborated by the Foreign Minister this morning.

Clearly, no one wants to see a repeat of the myth of Sisyphus here. The inter-Congolese dialogue is far too important an aspect of the Lusaka peace process. The quick response and the generous offer of the Government of South Africa for an orderly resumption of the dialogue deserve our very high appreciation. We urge all Congolese parties to demonstrate pragmatism, patriotism and commitment to national reconciliation. There are lessons, we are always told, to be learned from history -- from the history of the Congo itself.

Finally, on the question of entry into the third phase of MONUC's deployment, Bangladesh has always pleaded for a substantive engagement of the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo commensurate with the dimensions and complexity of the conflict. We also call for early entry into phase III of MONUC's deployment. In that spirit, we support the recommendation of the Secretary-General and the concept of operations he has outlined. However, the Lusaka parties have to extend their cooperation and create the environment that permits deployment in Kindu.

In this regard, we look forward to concrete commitment from the Lusaka signatories when the Council meets them, hopefully in the middle of next month.

The President

I will now make a statement in my capacity as representative of Ireland.

I thank Special Representative Ngongi for introducing the report of the Secretary-General. I also thank Foreign Minister She Okitundu for participating in today's meeting.

I will confine my remarks to this latest report of the Secretary-General, his vision of the future role of the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the steps the parties themselves must take to facilitate a role for the United Nations.

The Permanent Representative of Belgium will speak shortly on behalf of the European Union. My delegation associates itself with that statement, and I make the following points in my national capacity.

Ireland welcomes and supports the proposals in the report of the Secretary-General. We agree on the need to move to phase III, but on the prudent and incremental basis outlined by the Secretary-General. The success of the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo lies in the hands of the parties. Any future assistance which the United Nations can give to the peace process is dependent entirely on the parties themselves sustaining and giving momentum to a process which the United Nations can support.

While we agree with the assessment of the Secretary-General that the overall situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to develop in a largely positive direction, the magnitude of the obstacles yet to be overcome cannot be overestimated. Nonetheless, we are willing to take the steps set out in the report -- these risks, if you like -- in support of the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, if the parties themselves are willing to pursue peace and to meet their obligations.

To this end, first, we call on the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zimbabwe to cease any support for any armed groups operating in the east of the country and to cooperate with the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) by providing all information available to them on these groups.

Secondly, we call on the Governments of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to reach agreement, both politically and practically, through the establishment of a joint coordination mechanism on the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation or resettlement (DDRRR) process, as called for by the Secretary-General.

Thirdly, we call for an early resumption of the inter-Congolese dialogue, and we call on all the parties to the dialogue to participate in a spirit of cooperation and compromise. The success of the inter-Congolese dialogue and the early agreement of the Congolese parties to a new democratic political dispensation is crucial to the peace process.

Fourthly and finally, we call on all States which have not yet done so to begin withdrawing their forces from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in accordance with their commitments under the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement.

I will now resume my functions as President of the Council.

The next speaker inscribed on my list is the representative of Belgium. I invite him to take a seat at the Council table and to make his statement.

Mr. de Ruyt (Belgium)

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The countries of Central and Eastern Europe associated with the European Union -- Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia -- and the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, as well as Iceland, a European Free Trade Association country and member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.

I wish to welcome among us the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mr. Léonard She Okitundu, and thank him for his statement on the position of his Government.

I would also like to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Congo, Mr. Amos Namanga Ngongi, for his excellent introduction to the ninth report of the Secretary-General.

The peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is laborious and complex. However, it is still on track, and the Europe