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DR Congo

DR Congo: Kabila urges more international help for his country

Kinshasa, DR Congo (PANA) - DR Congo President Joseph Kabila has appealed for more international assistance to boost the peace process in his country and pave the way for free, democratic and open elections.
Addressing heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Kinshasa, Kabila said he wished to see peace and stability return to DR Congo this year.

He also promised to work for reconciliation and to secure the country's territorial integrity.

To this end, Kabila said the international community should do more to end what he called serious human rights violations in the country's eastern district of Ituri.

"This situation is worrying and should concern us all. The resurgence of hostilities is beyond belief at this time after the different warring parties signed on 17 December 2002 in Pretoria, South Africa, a global accord on DRC's transition.

"...these crimes against mankind committed openly and publicly would jeopardise the national reconciliation, because peace without justice is an illusion," the Congolese leader added.

He reiterated his proposal for fresh inter-Congolese dialogue to ratify the Pretoria accord.

Kabila also called for an international conference on peace, security, democracy and development in the Great Lakes sub-region.

DR Congo has been wracked by a many-sided war since 1998.

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