UN / DR CONGO

France's Ambassador Gerard Araud says that the Security Council's recent trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo was with a "listening mood" not a "negotiating mood," and on that basis they will decide the future of MONUC. UNTV / FILE

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:24
• Production Date: 19 May 2010
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS OBSERVER MISSSION IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO - MONUC
• Subject Topical: POLITICAL CONDITIONS; POLITICAL MOVEMENTS; INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; PEACE AND SECURITY
• Geographic Subject: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
• MAMS Id: U100519a

Description

STORY: UN / DR CONGO
TRT: 2.24
SOURCE: UNTV / MONUC
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / FRENCH / NATS

DATELINE: 18 MAY 2010, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

RECENT 2010, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

18 MAY 2010, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Security Council meeting
3. Cutaway, delegates
4. SOUNDBITE (French) Ambassador Gerard Araud, Permanent Representative of France, United Nations:
"I believe that the message we have conveyed to the Congolese authorities is very clear, MONUC will not stay in the Congo indefinitely we have to aim for a transition which would restore Congolese sovereignty over the territory but that transition has to be prepared in cooperation with the Congolese authorities through dialogue, through a common analysis of the situation before drawing the necessary consequences."
5. Wide shot, Ambassador Araud approaches microphone
6. Cutaway, cameramen
7. SOUNDBITE (French) Ambassador Gerard Araud, Permanent Representative of France, United Nations:
"So it was a mission on the listening mode. We were on the listening mode. It was not a negotiation. We don't, the Security Council doesn't negotiate. Simply we went there. We listened to President Kabila. We listen the Congolese political forces and on the basis of this mission we'll decide what is the future; we'll decide the future of the MONUC."
8. Cutaway, journalists taking notes
9. SOUNDBITE (French) Ambassador Gerard Araud, Permanent Representative of France, United Nations:
"The situation has improved. The situation remains fragile and there is some logic to try to shift part of the activities of the MONUC from the military side to the civilian side; to go from peacekeeping to state building. Because it is obvious that the MONUC won't stay indefinitely in DRC; but it doesn't mean that we have to be led by artificial calendar. Artificial calendar if we, when we leave we'll do it on the basis of the situation on the ground."

FILE / 14 MAY 2010, KINSHASA, DRC

9. Wide Shot, Security Council members getting out of the plane
10. Wide shot, Security Council members walking on the runway
11. Med shot, Security Council members in meeting room
12. Med shot, French Ambassador Gerard Araud shaking hands with DRC Prime Minister Muzito

Storyline

The simmering tensions and continued instability in both the Horn of Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were under the spotlight today as the Security Council met to discuss peace and security on the continent.

Ambassador Gerard Araud of France, who led a recent Council mission to the DRC, briefed on the trip and the latest developments in the vast country, where the future of a United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUC) is under review.

He told delegates that he believed that the message they had conveyed to the Congolese authorities was very clear, "MONUC will not stay in the Congo indefinitely."

He added that the council had to aim for a transition which would restore Congolese sovereignty over the territory and that transition had to be prepared in cooperation with the Congolese authorities through dialogue, and common analysis of the situation "before drawing the necessary consequences."

Following the meeting, Araud met journalists and said that the Council members went to the DRC in a listening mode, that they didn't go there to negotiate because the Security Council didn't negotiate.

He said that they heard from DRC President Kabila and the Congolese political forces. Aradu said that on the basis of their mission they would decide "the future of the MONUC."

He also pointed out that although the situation had improved, it still remained fragile adding that there was "some logic to try to shift part of the activities of the MONUC from the military side to the civilian side; to go from peacekeeping to state building."

The mandate of the mission (MONUC) - which began operations in 1999 - is due to expire at the end of this month.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recommended in his latest report on the mission that its 20,000-strong force begin a drawdown of troops by 30 June. The Government has proposed a total withdrawal of the peacekeeping forces by 30 August 2011.