(CLO) The M23 rebel group withdrew from peace talks with the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, less than 24 hours before the parties were scheduled to meet in Angola.
The rebel alliance that includes M23 announced it was pulling out of its first direct talks with the Congolese government after the European Union (EU) imposed sanctions on M23 and Rwandan officials earlier in the day.
M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo: X/GI
The Congo River Alliance, which represents M23, said the EU's actions were aimed at "obstructing long-awaited negotiations".
The M23 group has long demanded direct negotiations with the Congolese government, but Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi has always refused, claiming that the M23 is merely a proxy force of Rwanda.
However, on Sunday, Mr Tshisekedi changed his stance and agreed to send a delegation to Luanda, after the government army suffered a series of defeats on the battlefield and came under pressure from its ally Angola.
Tshisekedi's spokeswoman, Tina Salama, said that the Congolese government would still attend the conference as planned after M23 withdrew. "We confirm that we will attend at the invitation of the mediators," Salama said.
The war in eastern DR Congo, which stems from the aftermath of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and over mineral resources, has escalated sharply since January this year.
M23 gunmen have seized the two largest cities in eastern Congo, killing thousands and forcing hundreds of thousands from their homes.
The new European Union sanctions are seen as some of the strongest measures imposed on M23 and Rwanda since the conflict escalated earlier this year.
Zobel Behalal, senior fellow at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, said the measures were particularly notable because they targeted the Rwanda Mining Board and a gold refinery.
In its statement, the Congo River Alliance criticized international parties for adopting a "confusing and contradictory" stance.
"The repeated sanctions against our members, especially those introduced on the eve of the talks in Luanda, have seriously undermined direct dialogue and made any progress impossible," the statement said.
Also on Monday, Rwanda took a strong response to Belgium, which had previously called for tougher EU action against the country. The Rwandan government announced it was severing diplomatic relations with Belgium and ordering Belgian diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours.
Rwanda's foreign ministry accused Belgium, the former colonial ruler of Rwanda and Congo, of "using lies and manipulation to create a wave of unfounded hostility towards Rwanda".
Shortly afterwards, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot announced that Brussels would respond by declaring Rwandan diplomats "persona non grata".
Cao Phong (according to AJ, Reuters)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/bi-eu-trung-phat-phien-quan-m23-rut-khoi-dam-phan-hoa-binh-voi-chdc-congo-post338966.html
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