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Official Suggests "Neutral" Troops Replace Its Forces

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
NEWS
January 9, 2003
Posted to the web January 9, 2003
Nairobi
A Ugandan official has proposed that a protection force from a neutral country
such as Egypt, Ethiopia or Morocco be sent to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (DRC) after the withdrawal of Ugandan troops is complete, The New Vision
Ugandan government-owned newspaper reported on Thursday.
The daily quoted Ugandan Minister of State for International Affairs Tom Butime
as having said this while meeting visiting Danish MPs on Wednesday. "We are
looking to the withdrawal of Uganda's troops any time. We wouldn't want to stay
any longer because we have suffered enough," he added.
Butime said Uganda had wanted its troops withdrawn by 15 December 2002, but
that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan had asked that the Uganda People's Defence
Forces remain until there was another force to take over the security of the
country. Uganda maintains an army battalion in the northeastern town of Bunia
and some troops on the Rwenzori mountain slopes.

   

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