Mbeki on poll mission to DRC
2005-01-18 12:04
Pretoria - President Thabo Mbeki is to travel to Kinshasa next week for talks with President Joseph Kabila and his four deputies on getting on with plans for elections in that country.
"It is important that we all get together to look at all the issues," Mbeki told reporters in Pretoria after meeting DRC vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba.
"Nobody is interested in a crisis."
Bemba, the leader of the Congo Liberation Movement (MLC), and several allies reportedly boycotted a ceremony last week to swear in new ministers after a re-shuffle by Kabila.
The MLC threatened last week to pull out of transitional institutions if Kabila failed to give in to demands for a larger stake in power sharing before elections due to be held later this year.
Mbeki said Bemba was in South Africa to discuss his concerns about the DRC government.
Bemba was keen, Mbeki added, that the transition should move forward quickly, speedily and smoothly "so the country can move to elections".
Bemba said he hoped progress could be made with Mbeki's help next week.
"We believe things should move in the direction of elections in terms of the constitution," Bemba said.
- SAPA