DR Congo: Annan condemns armed incursion by Ugandan rebels

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today strongly condemned the recent incursion by armed elements of Uganda's rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) into the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Through his spokesman, Mr. Annan also voiced support for the Kinshasa Government's commitment to disarm the group, with the assistance of the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC).

Welcoming yesterday's Security Council presidential statement on the issue, the Secretary-General warned that "inflammatory statements detrimental to the conduct of United Nations operations do not serve the cause of peace and could result in putting the lives of UN personnel in danger," said his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric.

The spokesman also reminded governments that "any recourse to the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of the Democratic Republic of the Congo contravenes the United Nations Charter as well as mutual commitments made recently between States in the Great Lakes region."

Countries in the region were called on to "undertake strengthened and determined efforts to bring an end to the activities of all illegal armed groups that are inflicting such immense suffering on the people in the Great Lakes region," Mr. Dujarric said.

The Secretary-General strongly encouraged all governments concerned to resolve the situation through concerted action, using use established mechanisms such as the Tripartite Commission, which brings together countries of the region and includes the participation of the United States.