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http://www.africanews.org/central/congo-kinshasa/stories/19990122_feat1.html
U.S. Says DROC Should Be Preserved As A Unified Nation
January 22, 1999
Washington - Following is the text of the January 21 White House statement,
released by the Office of the Press Secretary: In response to a question posed
at today's press briefing asking about the U.S. position on maintaining the
territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DROC), and on whether we believe DROC as a country should be preserved:
A: Since the war in the Congo began on August 2, 1998, we have continually
condemned the violation of Congo's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and
underscored the importance of Congo remaining as a unified nation. Our position
has not changed.
We have urged all parties in the conflict to reach a political settlement under a framework that would include a cease-fire and addressing the underlying reasons for the conflict, such as border security, and having a more open and inclusive political process in the Congo. We have also pressed all sides in the conflict to protect the lives and human rights of all non-combatants.
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