The government continues to rule out direct conversations with M23

Despite the growing international pressure, the Congo Democratic Republic is firm in its decision not to have direct conversations with the M23 rebel group that has advanced important in the east of the country in recent months.

Last week, the United Kingdom government added to calls so that the group was part of an “inclusive dialogue” to help find a political solution to the conflict.

But in an interview with the BBC, Dr. Congo’s prime minister, Judith Supplwa Tuluka, said her government wants to negotiate with neighboring Rwanda, which accuses of supporting the M23.

According to Congolences authorities, at least 8,500 people were killed since the fighting intensified in January, according to the Congolese authorities.

Hundreds of thousands have also been forced from their homes in the midst of chaos triggered by the fight, in which UN and others experts see Rwanda as a key role.

“The fact is that the aggressor of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is Rwanda,” said Supplwa Tuluka, citing a report by the UN experts that last year declared that between 3,000 and 4,000 troops of Rwanda had crossed in Congolese territories and were fighting next to the M23.

Peace conversations negotiated by Angola reached a dead point last December after Rwanda demanded that the Congolese government speak directly with the M23.

The rebel group advanced rapidly, taking control of rubber and bukavu cities in January and February.

In an Eastern and South Africa Mediation effort last month, regional leaders asked for a high fire, the exit of “non -invited foreign armed forces” from Congolese territory and also urged direct negotiations between “state and non -state parties … including m23”.

The president of Ruanda, Paul Kagame, did not denied the presence of his troops in Dr. Congo when asked about it. “I don’t know,” he said in a CNN interview.

The conflict through the border has seen his country, often seen as a favorite of the West, now losing the favor quickly in all areas.

The pressure is increasing over it to withdraw its forces from the Congolese soil.

“But he hasn’t done it yet,” said Suminwa Tuluka.

She welcomed the US sanctions imposed on the Rwanda Government Minister James Kabarebe, saying that they would help “exert pressure on the aggressors.” Rwanda, however, ruled them as “unjustified and ineffective to resolve the crisis.”

The European Commission on its part has suspended “defense consultations” and has placed “under review” a memorandum of understanding signed last year with Rwanda on raw materials.

The Congolese prime minister welcomed the decisions of the EU Commission, saying that “the illegal exploitation of resources, that is one of the causes of the conflict.”

Dr. Congo accuses Rwanda of illegally exploiting his mineral deposits in the east of the country, which Rwanda denies.

In addition to the choir against Rwanda, the United Kingdom said last week that, among other measures, it would help, except the money for the poorest and poorest groups, unless the country removes its troops, involves “significantly” in conversations and a high fire is achieved.

Ruanda described the decision as “punitive”, saying that it was not reasonable to expect him to compromise his national security.

The Congolese prime minister said that Rwanda was ignoring all the calls to withdraw his troops.

“So, who gets in the path of (resolving the conflict)? It is not the Congolese government,” he argued.

Ruanda has previously recognized its “defensive and offensive” forces during the ongoing conflict, claiming the right to defend its territory.

He has also repeatedly accused the Congolese government of hosting and working with the militant group the democratic forces for the liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), whose members include combatants of the Rwanda genocide of 1994.

When asked about it, Supplwa Tuluka denied that the Congolese army works with the FDLR rebels, but said that his country would participate in a process of “neutralizing” the militants.

When it came to what would solve the problem if direct conversations were discarded with the M23, the prime minister said that, together with the negotiation with Rwanda, the answer was simple for what would guarantee a high fire.

“Make sure Rwanda’s troops withdraw from the Congolese territory and that their M23 stops killing Congolese populations,” he said.