S/PV.4969 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in which he requests to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council’s agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite that representative to participate in the discussion, without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them document S/2004/327, which contains the text of a letter dated 26 April 2004 from the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Security Council expresses its serious concern regarding recent reports of an incursion into the Democratic Republic of the Congo by elements of the Rwandan army. “The Security Council further expresses its concern at the reports of increased military activities of the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and of incursions made by them on the territory of Rwanda. “The Security Council condemns in this context any impediments to the freedom of movement of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), reaffirms its full support for MONUC’s efforts to stabilize the situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and encourages MONUC to continue to report to it on the military situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in accordance with its mandate. “The Security Council attaches great importance to respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo, of which it condemns any violation, as well as any violation of its relevant resolutions. “The Security Council also attaches great importance to respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Rwanda and condemns any incursions of armed groups into this country. “The Security Council demands that the Government of Rwanda takes measures to prevent the presence of any of its troops on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “The Security Council calls on the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to investigate jointly, with the assistance of MONUC, the substance of recent reports on armed incursions across their mutual border. “The Security Council further calls on both Governments to establish border security mechanisms to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. “The Security Council reaffirms its support for the commitments made by the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda in Pretoria, on 27 November 2003, and urges both Governments to implement expeditiously the provisions contained in the communiqué issued on that date. “The Security Council further underlines that the disarmament and demobilization of all armed groups, including in particular the ex- Forces armées rwandaises (ex-FAR) and Interahamwe combatants, are essential to the settlement of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and calls on the Governments of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to take all necessary measures to facilitate the swift and voluntary repatriation of Rwandan combatants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “The Security Council encourages the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to continue to take steps to normalize their relations. It commends, in this context, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the efforts that led to the arrest of Mr. Yusufu Munyakazi, indicted, inter alia, on charges of genocide, and his subsequent transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and it calls on all Member States to intensify efforts to arrest and transfer suspects sought by the Tribunal. “The Security Council urges all Governments in the region to encourage the re-establishment of confidence between neighbouring countries, in accordance with the Declaration of Principles on Good-Neighbourly Relations and Cooperation between the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, adopted in New York, by leaders of the region, on 25 September 2003, with a view to achieving the normalization of their relations.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2004/15. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.