Statement / by the President of the Security Council

Statement [made on behalf of the Security Council, at the 5162nd meeting, 12 Apr. 2005, in connection with the Council's consideration of the item entitled "The situation concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo"]

Welcomes the statement issued by the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) in Rome, on 31 Mar. 2005, in which they condemn the 1994 genocide and commit themselves to renounce the use of force and cease all offensive operations against Rwanda; calls on the FDLR to turn their positive words into action and to demonstrate their commitment to peace by immediately handing all their arms to the UN Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) and by taking part in the programme put in place for their earliest voluntary and peaceful return to Rwanda; encourages all other armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that have not yet done so to renounce likewise the use of force and to take part without delay in the programmes of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration; urges the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to work together, in close cooperation with MONUC, to make use of the chance given to them to contribute to peace and stability in the whole Great Lakes region of Africa; urges the Government of Rwanda to guarantee the return and reintegration of FDLR.

2 p.