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Politics

Leaders from DRCongo and Rwanda meet this Wednesday in Luanda to ease tensions

The Presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRCongo) and Rwanda are meeting this Wednesday in Luanda, in a meeting mediated by Angola, to ease tension between the two countries, announced a spokesperson for the government of Kinshasa.

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Felix Tshisekedi (DRCongo) and Paul Kagame (Rwanda) will discuss bilateral relations and the armed conflict in eastern DRCongo, where M23 rebels last month took over a town close to the Ugandan border, the spokesman for the Ugandan authorities announced Kinshasa Patrick Muyaya to the Associated Press.

DR Congo authorities claim that the M23 is supported by Rwanda and have accused this neighboring country of occupying part of its territory.

"They will discuss Rwanda's aggression in DRCongo," Muyaya said.

Asked if DRCongo still believes that Rwandan troops are fighting alongside the M23 rebels in the east of the country, Muyaya responded assertively: "That is obvious."

Rwanda has repeatedly denied supporting the M23, contesting references to that effect by conflict observers, UN experts and others.

The M23 is mainly composed of fighters of the ethnic Tutsi of the DR Congo who accuse their government of not honoring previous commitments to reintegrate them into the national army.

The African Union earlier this year asked President João Lourenço to mediate in the DR Congo-Rwanda dispute.

A Catholic cardinal in Kinshasa, the capital of DRCongo, calls for Pope Francis to be involved in peace efforts.

Tshisekedi said last week that his efforts to make peace with Rwanda should not be seen as a sign of weakness, but many in DR Congo are opposed to any talks as long as M23 rebels continue to occupy their country's territory.

Kagame had harsh words for the DR Congo authorities in comments made in a television interview in his country on Monday, in which he accused Kinshasa of supporting a different rebel group that includes fighters accused of participating in Rwanda's genocide in 1994.

DRCongo has always denied supporting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel movement fighting the Kigali regime.

"It's the same story [the Rwandans] have been telling for 20 years. Why would DRCongo support them to bomb Rwandan territory? These accusations are not true," Muyaya said.

"We have to deal with hundreds of armed groups inside the country and we have been talking with all neighbors about a common strategy to end the activities of foreign armed groups", stressed the Kinshasa spokesman.

Regional leaders from the East African Community bloc – which DRCongo recently joined – are working to deploy a peacekeeping force to the rebel provinces of DRCongo's east.

It remains unclear when the force, which would be authorized to disarm insurgents such as the M23, will be deployed.

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