23 January 2001
The governments of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria and the Republic of South Africa are gravely concerned by the recent developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and strongly condemn any attempt to bring about political change through violence and also recall, in this respect, Decision 42 on unconstitutional changes of governments adopted by the 35th ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organisation of African Unity held in Algiers, Algeria, in July 1999.
The Governments of South Africa and Algeria condemn recourse to political assassination as a means of settling disputes or resolving crises and call for the speedy and scrupulous implementation of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement as the only viable framework for the settlement of the conflict in the DRC.
The governments of South Africa and Algeria urge all the Congolese parties to commit themselves to dialogue in conformity with the Lusaka Agreement and the relevant decisions of the United Nations and the Organisation of African Unity.
We welcome the meeting in Luanda of the Heads of State of Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia and are encouraged by their support for the implementation of the Lusaka Agreement.
We call upon the party signatories of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement to respect the ceasefire, to recommit themselves to the scrupulous implementation of the Agreement and to fully co-operate with MONUC in the implementation of the relevant decisions of the UNSC, particularly those related to the deployment of the Peace Keeping Force in the DRC.
For more information please contact Dumisani Rasheleng:
(09221) 644-6288 or (09221) 820-1515
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
PRIVATE BAG X152
Pretoria
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