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Security Council mission to Great Lakes region meets with President of Angola

Security Council mission to Great Lakes region meets with President of Angola

Continuing its eight-nation mission to the Great Lakes region of Africa, a delegation of the United Nations Security Council met today with President Eduardo dos Santos of Angola.

Addressing the press following the hour-long meeting, Ambassador Jean-David Levitte of France, who is leading the 15-member delegation, said the exchange had been "very positive" on the three main aspects of the formal talks between the parties to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: continuation of negotiations between the parties to the conflict; withdrawal of foreign troops and demobilization of combatants.

"What the Security Council wanted to hear from President dos Santos we did: he will use his influence in the region to try and make sure that the final part of the agreement that is being built will be achieved," Ambassador Levitte said.

Prior to meeting with President dos Santos, the delegation had met with the facilitator for the inter-Congolese dialogue, Sir Ketumile Masire. In the afternoon, the team's agenda includes a joint meeting with the Political Committee of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement. Tomorrow the delegation is scheduled to travel to Kampala, Uganda, where it will meet with President Yoweri Museveni.

Yesterday, the delegation travelled to Kisangani, as part of its visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.