Congo

Het lijkt goed te gaan in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Wellicht wordt er morgen een vredesakkoord getekend tussen, hoe kan het ook anders in Africa, regering en rebellen. Een klein Google-test ondersteunt dit positivisme: 'Congo' in combinatie met 'War' levert nog geen 300,000 hits op tegen meer dan 2,000,000 hits voor 'Congo' in combinatie met 'Peace'. Op hoop van zegen. Onderstaande tekst komt, in enigszins bewerkte vorm, van de BBC Internet site.

Talks on the future of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are coming to an end, with a peace deal expected to be signed on Tuesday.

Mediators at the talks say there is a general agreement between the government and the key rebel leader. Other groups have still to sign up and a final declaration needs approval. The deal aims to end months of bloody conflict around the town of Goma, which has driven over 450,000 people from their homes in the last year. Talks involving the Dr Congo government and more than 20 rebel groups have been under way for more than two weeks and sponsored by the US, the EU and the African Union. The main rebel movement is led by dissident General Laurent Nkunda, who repulsed a major government offensive last December.

'Historic moment'
The BBC's Lubunga Byaombe at the conference said that delegates were trying to decide whether Gen Nkunda should be integrated into the army or sent into exile. The draft agreement would establish a technical commission to oversee a permanent ceasefire, a disengagement of troops and the disarmament of the rebels.