VILLAGE URUGWIRO - The new Special Representative of the United Nations to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Alan Doss, yesterday met President Paul Kagame for the first time since his appointment early this year.

After the meeting that took place at Village Urugwiro, , doss who also heads the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DRC, MONUC, said the aim of his visit was partly to introduce himself to the President.

"Part of my visit was to hear the President’s views on certain issues of common interest to the sub-region," said Doss, who replaced William Swing at the helm of MONUC.

During the same meeting, the new United Nations representative said he discussed with the President some of the items that would be on the agenda during a meeting between both countries later this month."The meeting which will bring together Rwanda and DRC with the facilitators, will take place in New York late this month and I had to discuss with the President the items that would be on the agenda," he said, adding that he would also consult the Kinshasa government on the same issue.

Presidential Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region, Dr Richard Sezibera, said that the meeting will discuss the implementation process of the Nairobi Communiqué which was signed last year.

Asked about the position of the Government of Rwanda on the appointment of Mr. Doss, Sezibera said that he hopes the new representative works closely with the Congolese Government to solve the problem of negative forces, which is Rwanda’s major concern.

Alan Doss, who took office in October 2007, heads the 17,000-strong MONUC which was formed in 1999.

Ambassador Swing championed the establishment of the Tripartite Plus Joint Commission, a regional grouping that brings together Rwanda, DRC, Uganda and Burundi.

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