United Nations Daily Highlights, 08-11-17

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From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY MARIE OKABE

DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

UN

HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, November 17, 2008

U.N. MISSION CONDEMNS LATEST CEASEFIRE VIOLATION BY CONGOLESE REBEL GROUP

The UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) has strongly

condemned the latest violation of the ceasefire by the rebel group CNDP (National Congress for the Defense of the People), led by Laurent Nkunda. Nkundas fighters yesterday seized control of a number of North Kivu localities following some of the worst fighting in more than a week.

The Mission says that the UN attack helicopters undertook reconnaissance flights over the area and are poised to respond to any and all eventualities. It calls on the warring parties to uphold the ceasefire and to give the ongoing political process a chance to succeed.

Over the weekend, the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy for eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Olusegun Obasanjo, met with Presidents Dos Santos of Angola and Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and later on with rebel leader Laurent Nkunda in North Kivu. Nkunda reportedly raised some demands, including integration of rebels in the national army at the appropriate rank. He also agreed to open a corridor for humanitarian assistance and to continue to observe the ceasefire.

Special Envoy Obasanjo and African Union Co-Facilitator Benjamin Mkapa are in Nairobi, Kenya, today, to brief President Mwai Kibaki, in his capacity as the Chair of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, on their consultations with Luanda and Kinshasa.

Obasanjo, who earlier today called on both government and rebel forces to respect the ceasefire, is expected at UN Headquarters later this week to brief the Secretary-General.

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