PSC/PR/Comm.(XXXIII) – (i)
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COMMUNIQUE OF THE 33RD MEETING OF
THE PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL (PSC)
The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its
33rd meeting held on 24 June 2005, adopted the following Decision on the followup on the Decision of the 23rd Meeting of the PSC on the Situation in Eastern
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Relations between DRC and
Rwanda:
Council,
1.
Welcomes the efforts deployed by the Commission to ensure follow-up on
Decision PSC/AHG/Comm.(XXIII) on the disarmament and neutralization of the
ex-FAR/Interahamwé and other armed groups in Eastern DRC, adopted at its
23rd Meeting held in Libreville on 10 January 2005;
2.
Takes note of the results of the Fact-Finding Mission dispatched by the
Chairperson of the Commission to the DRC and Rwanda, and to the International
Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), in Arusha (United Republic of Tanzania),
from 27 February to 8 March 2005, as well as the Conclusions of the
Consultative Meeting on the Disarmament and Neutralization of the exFAR/Interahamwé and Other Armed Groups in Eastern DRC, and of the Meeting
of Military Experts of Member States of the PSC Military Staff Committee (MSC)
and the AU Committee on the DRC, held in Addis Ababa from 15 to 16 March
2005 and on 22 April 2005, respectively, as contained in the Report of the
Chairperson of the Commission on the Follow-up on the Decision of the 23rd
Meeting of the PSC on the Situation in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
and the Relations between the DRC and Rwanda [PSC/PR/2(XXXIII)];
3.
Expresses delight at the current momentum in the region as evidenced
by the return of confidence between the countries of the region thanks in
particular to the progressive establishment of the joint mechanisms agreed upon
between the various parties. Council notes with satisfaction the smooth
functioning of the Joint Verification Teams (JVT) put in place within the
framework of the Joint Verification Mechanism (JVM) agreed between the DRC
and Rwanda in New York, on 22 September 2004, and urges that efforts be
intensified towards the implementation of the recommendations of the JVT;
4.
Expresses satisfaction at the adoption, on 30 March 2005, of resolution
1592 (2005) by the United Nations Security Council, especially paragraphs 5 and
7 thereof, relating to the disarmament of foreign combatants by the Armed
Forces of the DRC, with the support of MONUC, and the execution by MONUC
of its mandate under resolution 1565 (2004) of 1st October 2004 in the eastern
part of the DRC, and affirms AU‘s readiness to work closely with MONUC in