>Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 15:02:21 +0200 >From: Russell Grinker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Mandela calls for US troops in DR Congo >OWN CORRESPONDENT, Qunu | Wednesday 2.10pm. > >FORMER president Nelson Mandela called on Wednesday for US participation in a >UN peacekeeping mission in Democratic Republic of Congo, saying a strong force >is needed to make peace. >"The United States is already helping but they can make available more help," >Mandela said after meeting visiting US Defence Secretary William Cohen at his >rural home in Qunu in the Eastern Cape. >Cohen, who arrived Saturday for a four-day visit, said on Tuesday Washington >will not provide combat troops or peacekeepers to DRC, but could offer support >in areas such as logistics, communications and intelligence. >Asked specifically if the United States should send peacekeepers to DRC, >Mandela said, "This is what is demanded. The more peacemakers we have in the >Congo, the better. They are going to need a strong military force to be >present." >He added, "They (the US) have got the largest military force in the world and >we need to deploy a strong force to be able to look after the interests of >those who are in there to ensure there is peace." >"Without the participation of the United States, it's going to be very >difficult for us to make progress," he said. >The 81-year-old Mandela added, "In the eastern part of the country there are >several militias who, under whatever agreement is reached, have to be disarmed >because they are not necessarily part of any agreement." >"So it is a very dangerous situation indeed and unless there is a strong >military presence, it's going to be difficult to bring about peace." >The United Nations has urged for 5 500 military observers and support units to >be sent to DRC to firm up a flagging ceasefire reached last August, about a >year after rebels launched an uprising against President Laurent Kabila's >government. -- AFP > >ANGOLA ACCUSES SA OF MEDDLING > >ANGOLAN President Jose Eduardo dos Santos has accused South Africa of >"meddling" in the internal affairs of Angola, the official Angola news agency >'Angop' reported on Tuesday. Speaking after a one-day meeting with his ally, >President Sam Nujoma of Namibia, Dos Santos said: "It seems to me that it >would be sensible for South African leaders to worry about their domestic >problems, and leave Angola in peace." Last week, South African Foreign >Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said that Angola's warring parties had to >"face the unpleasant reality that there would be no military solution to the >conflict", and that "negotiations had to begin". __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
