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http://www.nando.net/global/story/0,1024,191-367-4201-0,00.html
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Truce near on Congo, African leaders
report
Copyright © 1998 Nando Media
Copyright © 1998 Associated Press
By IAN STEWART, Associated Press Writer
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (December 18, 1998 12:30 p.m. EST http://www.nandotimes.com) - Warring factions in Congo's five-month civil war agreed to meet later in December to sign a cease-fire treaty, Burkina Faso's president said Friday.
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Representatives of the five countries embroiled in the war worked on a "pre -agreement" during a summit meeting of the Organization of African Unity, said President Blaise Compaore, the OAU chairman.
"We hope the finalization of this pact will be put into effect" when the warring parties meet Dec. 27 and 28 in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, Compaore said.
Hostilities in Congo, the Horn of Africa and Angola were the focus of the OAU meeting, which concluded Friday
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 this one. "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.
OAU member heads of state endorsed a recommendation that foreign observers be prepared to monitor the anticipated treaty.