Expatica news

De Gucht and Rice call for better governance in Congo

19 April 2005

BRUSSELS –   Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have both called for better governance in the Democratic Republic of Congo even before the upcoming elections, it was reported Tuesday.

“My real concern is that there will be elections and then afterwards nothing will change,” De Gucht said following a meeting with his U.S. counterpart in Washington, D.C. “Before the elections, there must be a new Congo.”

The elections had been scheduled to take place by the end of June, but delays in restoring order to the country may force a delay, according to some press reports.

Emerging from a meeting with Rice that lasted all of 45 minutes, De Gucht insisted that Belgium and Washington see eye to eye on the Congo.

He said it was not possible to put “even a cigarette paper sheet” between the two sides, indicating that there was not even the smallest disagreement.

The two foreign ministers also discussed the European Union’s ban on arms sales to China, Iraq, Afghanistan and the two Belgian nationals being held by the Americans at Guantanamo Bay.

De Gucht declined to speculate about the prisoners’ possible release.

[Copyright Expatica 2005]

Subject : Belgian news