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Rice at talks on Africa conflicts Rice at talks on Africa conflicts
(about 5 hours later)
The US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, is in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, for a series of meetings on some of Africa's worst conflicts.The US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, is in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, for a series of meetings on some of Africa's worst conflicts.
Ms Rice will discuss the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Sudan with presidents and ministers from the countries involved. Ms Rice will discuss the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Sudan with regional presidents and ministers.
All three countries have internationally-negotiated peace deals which are now in danger of collapse. However, none of the three countries' leaders are going to Ethiopia.
She said she was "increasingly concerned about several crisis spots in Africa" before starting the talks.
She will also hold bilateral talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.She will also hold bilateral talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.
They are expected to discuss renewed tensions with neighbouring Eritrea.They are expected to discuss renewed tensions with neighbouring Eritrea.
A deadline set by an international border commission for the countries to demarcate their shared border expired on Friday without agreement.A deadline set by an international border commission for the countries to demarcate their shared border expired on Friday without agreement.
Non-military solution 'Unravel'
In a packed day of talks, Condoleezza Rice will attend a regional summit of the Democratic Republic of Congo and its eastern neighbours, and ministerial meetings on Somalia and on the issues between North and South Sudan. Her first talks were on the latest fighting in DR Congo, with the presidents of Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda, as well as Congolese ministers.
Government troops are advancing on rebel positions in DR Congo They are due to discuss a plan to disarm Rwandan Hutu rebels, which are at the heart of fighting across the region.
All three countries benefited from internationally negotiated peace agreements which are now perilously close to falling apart. The Congolese army, backed up by UN peacekeepers, is trying to disarm the dissident Tutsi general.
In just the last few days, fighting has intensified in eastern DR Congo, involving government troops and a rebel general, Laurent Nkunda. Laurent Nkunda refuses to join the army, saying his men must keep their arms to defend themselves against the Hutus.
The US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Jendayi Frazer, said last week that Washington was trying to persuade both sides to look for a non-military solution. Rwanda denies claims it is backing Gen Nkunda.
Ms Frazer said the US would prefer one which would end with the disarmament of the rebel forces and with Gen Nkunda being allowed to go into exile. As President Abdullahi Yusuf is in hospital in Kenya, Ms Rice is due to discuss the Somali crisis with his newly appointed Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein, as well as Mr Meles.
Intractable problems The US supported Ethiopia's intervention in Somalia last year, to help the government oust Islamists from Mogadishu.
Somalia, too, is in the middle of a deepening crisis. However, Ethiopia's intervention is unpopular in Somalia and insurgents continue to stage attacks.
The power struggle in the government was solved by the resignation of the former Prime Minister, Ali Mohamed Ghedi, and his departure for the US. The UN says that one million Somalis have been displaced by the fighting, including 60% of the capital's residents.
But with his successor, Nur Hassan Hussein, still new in the job, President Abdullahi Yusuf has now been taken seriously ill and has been rushed to hospital in Kenya. Mr Meles says he wants to withdraw his forces but cannot until they are replaced by a promised African Union peacekeeping force.
The US has no magic solution for these intractable problems, but the secretary of state does have clout. The BBC's Elizabeth Blunt in Addis Ababa says the US is offering to help African countries who are willing to send troops to Somalia as part of a peacekeeping force.
She can invite African leaders to a meeting and they will come. And the US has money. On Sudan, Ms Rice is due to discuss the tensions in the US-brokered 2005 peace deal between north and south.
It is offering to help African countries who are willing to send troops to Somalia as part of a peacekeeping force. "That is really an agreement that we cannot afford to let unravel," she said.
She is also expected to discuss the conflict in Darfur with African officials.
However, Sudan's government has signalled that it will not meet Ms Rice, reports the AP news agency.