Pledge to Withdraw From Rep. of Congo

Angolan officials have promised to withdraw their troops from the Republic of Congo “as soon as possible,” America’s U.N. envoy said. U.S. Ambassador Bill Richardson said he told Foreign Minister Venacio da Moura of Washington’s concern over the presence of Angolan forces in the Central African nation racked by more than four months of civil war. Angolan troops intervened on the side of former military ruler Denis Sassou-Nguesso this month to help defeat the forces of the elected president, Pascal Lissouba. Richardson said Sassou-Nguesso will travel to Luanda, the Angolan capital, today for a regional summit convened by President Jose Eduardo dos Santos.