Annan worried about DRC clashes

2006-08-23 19:23

United Nations - UN chief Kofi Annan is deeply concerned about clashes between forces of rival presidential candidates in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and wants high-level talks to ease tensions, said his office on Wednesday.

Annan's office noted: "The secretary-general notes with deep concern the incidents of violence which have taken place in Kinshasa between armed elements in the few past days."

"He calls on the relevant parties to ensure an immediate end to the fighting and the withdrawal of all forces from the streets of Kinshasa."

At least 16 people have been killed since Sunday in clashes between forces loyal to rival presidential candidates in the DRC capital, Kinshasa, according to a new toll given by police on Wednesday.

Forces loyal to President Joseph Kabila and rival presidential candidate vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba signed a deal late on Tuesday to withdraw from the centre of Kinshasa after two days of heavy artillery fighting.

Annan stressed that it was up to Kabila and Bemba to resolve the situation through dialogue and peaceful means and urged them to meet as quickly as possible to ease tensions.

Serious concern about DRC clashes

He called on all DRC parties and candidates "to abide by the electoral law in the resolution of any disputes and to respect the process and the timetable for holding the runoff presidential elections as announced by the independent electoral commission."

Tuesday, the UN security council also voiced serious concern about the DRC clashes and appealed to rival leaders to show restraint and to implement an agreed truce between their forces.

Results from first-round voting on July 30, announced on Sunday, gave Kabila 44.8% of the vote against 20% for Bemba, with the two leaders set for a second-round run-off on October 29.

- AFP