France called on Thursday the Rwandan forces and the M23 rebels supported by Kigali to withdraw from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
It comes a few days after M23 claimed control of the East Congolese key to Goma.
The sovereignty of the “non -negotiable” Congo – France
Paris reiterated its condemnation of the M23 offensive in Congo.
“The sovereignty and territorial integrity of (Congo) are not negotiable,” said the spokesman for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cristophe Lemoine.
“The M23 must immediately withdraw from the territories of which it has taken control. The Rwandan forces must urgently leave the territory of the DRC,” he said.
He said that foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot had traveled in the capital of Rwanda, Kigali, after visiting Kinshasa.
The spokesman said Paris had supported diplomatic efforts from Angola and Kenya to mediate on peace talks between Congo and Rwanda.
The minister’s visit comes after the demonstrators stormed the French Embassy and other diplomatic missions in the capital of Congo.
M23 swears from “March to Kinshasa”
The M23 group is committed to continuing its offensive in Congo after capturing the provincial capital in northern Kivu in Goma.
“We will continue the release of the Liberation to Kinshasa,” said Corneille Nangaa, head of a group coalition including M23, according to the AFP news agency and the Rwandan media.
“We are in Goma and we will not leave … As long as the questions we took up arms have not been answered,” he said.
The declaration comes after Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi promised a “vigorous and coordinated response” against the M23 and Rwandan forces.
Also Thursday, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said Kigali was ready for “confrontation” with South Africa for the sentence by Pretoria of the M23 offensive.
13 The South African soldiers, present in eastern Congo as part of the United Nations peacekeeping, were killed since the climbing of hostilities last week.
What is the conflict in the Congo?
M23 has continued to make earnings in recent days, pushing beyond Goma in the province of southern Kivu.
Rwanda accused the Congo of supporting the ethnic militias led by Hutu, Kigali, according to the Rwanda genocide in 1994.
The Congo denies the accusations, in turn accusing Rwanda of using M23 as a means of taking control of the territory rich in minerals in the Central African country.
SDI / JCG (AFP, Reuters)
