A level of comfort enjoyed by parties in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will pave way for a smooth peace transition in the strife-torn central African country, says President Thabo Mbeki’s legal adviser Mojanku Gumbi.

Addressing journalists in Pretoria today, Advocate Gumbi said the time parties took negotiating with each other played an imperative role in instilling trust amongst them.

Gumbi’s assertions follow the swearing in last week, of a new look administration in the DRC consisting of three vice presidents and ministers from the government, rebel groups and opposition movements.

The new government follows the signing in South Africa last year, of a landmark agreement, which paved way for the setting up of a transitional government there.

“We really think that the time that they took negotiating with each other in South Africa has really helped to lay a basis for them to be quite comfortable with each other," she said, adding that the move would eliminate potential glitches.

Though she added that there were challenges that would confront the peace process in the mineral rich country, "it is quite clear that they have found a level of comfort with each other”.

Gumbi said the refusal by some of the new DRC ministers to take the oath during inauguration did not imply there would be a derail in the transition process since the agreement did not compel ministers to undergo such process.

“Because the taking of the oath by ministers is not a constitutional requirement, the government could still continue with its work…and President (Joseph) Kabila indicated his wishes to proceed with the work of government whether others took the oath or not,’ she said.

She said South Africa and the DRC were moving towards a new relationship because the latter had a new, inclusive government in place, and South would cooperate with them in the design of their government programmes.

On the volatile Ituri region in the Bunia city, Adv Gumbi said the area was still controlled by the French troops under the auspices of the United Nations (UN).

“But it would be easy for them (DRC government) to move in now that they have been set up and it would be easier to have that situation under their control because it’s people who were allies with one or other of the parties which are now in government,” she said.

Leaders of the movement had formally declared the rebellion over, she affirmed. –BuaNews.