Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on the situation in the east of the DRC
The EU continues to be concerned by the situation in the east of the DRC and in particular by its humanitarian consequences.
The EU welcomes the opening of talks in Nairobi between the government of the DRC and Nkunda's CNDP, and the facilitating role played by former Presidents Obasanjo et Mkapa.
The EU regrets the CNDP's decision not to sign an agreement on ceasing hostilities and calls on the parties concerned, in particular the CNDP, to continue their engagement in the negotiations with a view to finding a political solution to the present crisis.
The EU applauds the resumption of dialogue between the DRC and Rwanda, and urges them to continue on this path, in particular with a view to ending the activity of the FDLR operating in the eastern part of the DRC.
The EU reiterates its support for the activity of MONUC in the field and welcomes the unanimous adoption by the Security Council on 22 December 2008 of Resolution 1856 authorising the renewal, until 31 December 2009, of MONUC's mandate, and reinforcing especially the priority given to protecting the civilian population and resolving the crisis in the east of the country.
The EU also welcomes the Security Council's unanimous adoption on 22 December 2008 of Resolution 1857 renewing, until 30 November 2009, the embargo on arms and individual sanctions, which is indispensable in combating the illegal armed groups operating in the east of the DRC.
The EU applauds the action taken by the authorities of the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan against the LRA rebellion, and urges the parties concerned to give special attention to the humanitarian consequences of such action.
The EU is determined to pursue its efforts, in close cooperation with the United Nations, the African Union and the countries of the Great Lakes region, to bringing long term stability to the situation in the east of the DRC.
The Candidate Countries Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Armenia align themselves with this declaration.
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.