Discussions on resolution of DR Congo crisis hits snag at AU summit

ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Discussions between the UN and some African states on the resolution of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) crisis hit a snag on Monday when member countries declined to sign a political and security framework proposed by the UN to resolve the conflict that has left hundreds of thousands of Congolese homeless.

In a series of intensive closed door meetings between the UN and the Great Lakes region member countries at the just concluded African Union summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, the countries declined to sign asking for more time for further consultation

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told reporters after the meeting that although the regional countries agree in principle with the framework, there are some procedural issues that arose leading to the suspension of the signing.

"There is no fundamental difference or objections to the content of the agreement that we are discussing with leaders of eight countries," he said declining to give details of the procedural issues that arose.

The framework, according to Ban, places some responsibilities on the DRC government to resolve the crisis. It also obliges regional member states to help end the crisis that has made hundreds of thousands of Congolese homeless.

Sam Kutesa, Uganda's minister of foreign affairs told Xinhua in an interview that the consultations will go on for another 10 days.

"We have not concluded, it has been suspended for another one week or ten days to allow further consultations," he said.

"There is no contention but what I can tell you is that we shall meet at that time," he added.

At a regional security meeting held in the Ugandan capital Kampala on Jan. 20, the Great Lakes Region countries vowed not to allow foreigners to champion the cause of stabilizing the DRC alleging that previous attempts have yielded to nothing.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and his Rwandese counterpart Paul Kagame have always accused the UN peacekeeping force in DRC (MONUSCO) of doing little to save the Congolese from rebel attacks.

Regional efforts to pacify the vast central African country culminated into peace negotiations between the DRC government and the M23 rebels.

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