Luanda, 02/11 - Luanda will on Friday
host a meeting to be attended by ministers from Uganda, DR Congo and representatives
of the UN mission in Congo, that will analyze the creation of mechanisms,
aiming at the immediate implementation of the Commission to Pacify the
Region of Itury, east of DR Congo.
This information was given by the Angola
Foreign Affairs Minister, Joao Miranda, on Monday, after returning from
Tanzania, where he represented the Head of State, Jose Eduardo dos Santos,
in the bilateral meeting between Joseph Kabila (DR Congo) and Yoweri Museveni
(Uganda). In the meeting it was agreed that Ugandan troops should withdraw
from the Congolese territory by 30 March.
Joao Miranda said that, the situation in the Itury region has degraded to an intolerable extent, that is the reason why the bilateral meeting was arranged, to analyze ways to carry on with the Luanda Agreement, signed on September 2002, adding that they decided that the agreement is to be adjusted in some of its terms, to fit into the present reality.
Itury has been a stage for several confrontations with various armed groups involved in contentious situations, such as, disputes about land, tribal, economic, and even political interests.
Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe, have always helped Congo in its conflict with local rebels, who have been helped by Rwanda and Uganda. Angola announced in the beginning of this year the total withdrawal of its troops from Congo. (Source: ANGOP)