Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)
MEDIA STATEMENT ON SOUTH AFRICA'S PARTICIPATION IN LUSAKA MEETING ON THE DRC
In an effort to avert further escalation of the crisis in the DRC, Foreign Minister Alfred Nzo, together with Defence Minister Joe Modise, will lead the South African delegation to the DRC crisis talks of regional Foreign and Defence Ministers in Lusaka, Zambia on 26 October 1998, at the invitation of President Chiluba. Following the mandate given by the SADC Summit in Mauritius, President Chiluba was requested to continue the process of searching for an early resolution to the conflict in the DRC and it is in this context that this meeting, which will also include non-SADC states, will be held in Lusaka. It is understood that representatives of the OAU and the UN and of the governments of Angola, Burundi, DRC, Gabon, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe have been invited. Before leaving for the talks, Minister Nzo said that South Africa would continue to emphasise the importance of the Pretoria Declaration of 23 August 1998, which included a call for an immediate cease-fire and a troop standstill. These, he said, were necessary to create the right climate for the initiation of a process of political dialogue.
South Africa will continue to make every effort to reinforce regional efforts to convince all the parties to the conflict of the need to put an immediate stop to the fighting in the DRC.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 25 OCTOBER 1998