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http://www.nando.net/newsroom/ntn/world/121798/world50_6548.html
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African leaders say truce near in Congo
Copyright © 1998 Nando Media
Copyright © 1998 The Associated Press
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (December 17, 1998 11:46 p.m. EST http://www.nandotimes.com) -- Warring parties in Congo's five-month civil war moved toward a truce during summit talks, Burkina Faso's president said Friday. Representatives from five countries embroiled in the war agreed to meet in Lusaka, Zambia, later this month to sign a cease-fire treaty.
"The warring groups have worked on a pre-agreement and we hope the finalization of this pact will be put into effect on in Lusaka," said President Blaise Compaore, who is also chairman of the Organization of African Unity summitOAU.
Hostilities in Congo, the Horn of Africa and Angola were the focus of the meeting, which concluded early Friday. The summit was to continue through the day, but ended early without explanation.
Civil war erupted in Congo, formerly Zaire, in August when former government military forces and their ethnic Tutsi allies launched an uprising aimed at toppling the government of President Laurent Kabila.
With the backing of neighboring Rwanda and Uganda, the rebel force marched to the outskirts of the capital, Kinshasa, before Kabila turned them back with help from Angola and Zimbabwe.
The rebels, however, still control a number of key towns.
Earlier peace initiatives for Congo have failed, but Compaore said he had confidence in the latest effort. "The representatives who were here agreed unanimously to work on the cease-fire agreement," he said.
Along with Kabila, delegates from Angola, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Rwanda and the rebel movement were in Burkina Faso. The same representatives have agreed to meet in Lusaka on Dec. 27 and 28.
OAU member heads of state endorsed a recommendation that foreign observers be prepared to monitor the anticipated treaty.
Kabila said Thursday that he would back the treaty so long as the terms included a clear timeline for the withdrawal of foreign forces.
"If we sign a cease-fire pact with the aggressors, it must be linked to a calendar," he said. "We cannot sign any agreement if we don't know when the aggressors are going to leave our country."
Other than Congo, there were no major breakthroughs on the border dispute in the Horn of Africa between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Although Compaore said both sides expressed hope for a resolution to the conflict, leaders from the two countries continued to openly accuse one another of unprovoked aggression.
"A lasting peaceful solution requires that Ethiopia rescind its illegal claims on Eritrea," said Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki.
The simmering conflict erupted into battles and airstrikes in May and June that left hundreds dead.
The OAU also issued a statement deploring the resumption of hostilities between Angola's rebel UNITA movement and that country's government.
The organization deferred to peace efforts by the United Nations, which had brokered an earlier treaty between the battling sides that has been unraveling in recent months.
By IAN STEWART, Associated Press Writer