Written question asked by Baroness Teather (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 2 November 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 6 November 2006. It was answered by Ian McCartney (Labour) on Tuesday, 7 November 2006 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Answer: The first and second rounds of voting in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) both passed off peacefully with the Congolese population turning out in high numbers to vote in a dignified manner. It is now important that all political and military actors respect the wishes of the population. We welcome the signing of an agreement by the two remaining presidential candidates to respect the results. We look forward to working closely with the new government to develop a stable and prosperous DRC.My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, made a press statement on 30 October on behalf of the Government following the second round of voting. The full text is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at:"http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029391629&a=KArticle&aid=1161591409270%20&year=2006&month=2006-10-01&date=2006-10-30"

Secondary information