Portuguese community informed on relations with DRC

Lisbon– The Angolan ambassador to Portugal, José Marcos Barrica, Wednesday in Lisbon here informed the committee on permanent concert of the Portuguese Speaking Community (CPLP) on the state of relations between Angola and the Democratic of Congo (DRC), Angop learnt.

At the meeting, the diplomat informed that the move of the Kinshasa authorities in the migratory issue with Angola are “preposterous” and “disproportionate”, adding that his country is not interested in being involved in another armed conflict.

The Ambassador announced that a meeting at high level is under preparation for a peaceful solution to the issue.

After a panoramic approach of the start of the migratory issue, started with the illegally entry in Angola, of DRC immigrants and others from central and west Africa, the diplomat accused those involved in the illegal activities, mainly exploration of diamonds.

"In order to put an end to this situation, the Angolan Government repatriated the illegal foreign citizens involved in actions of illegal exploration of our mineral resources", he said.

"Kinshasa response was disproportionate", he stressed.

"A situation of discomfort has started as the DRC authorities repatriated, in retaliation, Angolan citizens that were residing in the neighbouring countrysome of them for over 30 years", he said.

The ambassador said that depending on the Angolan Government, there will be no room for conflict.

“We have been working so that everything gets solved through a permanent dialogue, permanent concert”, he said, pointing out the example of the sending of a team to Kinshasa, led by the deputy minister of Foreign Affairs, George Chikoti, to negotiate and settle all causal points of discord.

Besides the migratory matter, he said, Angola associates this attitude of the DRC authorities with a latent, long intention of starting a debate about the borders, both maritime and land.

"The authorities of the DRC have addressed a letter to the United Nations saying that Angola has been violating its maritime space. I dont know on what ground”, he said.

"Angola regretted and considered this claims as invalid”, the Angolan ambassador to Portugal, José Marcos Barrica, said.