According to L'OBSERVATEUR, the question of 'the return of [Rwandan Hutu rebels of] the FDLR to Rwanda will be at the centre of the debates' in Lubumbashi. Quoting the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the DRC, William Swing, the paper reports that 'representatives of the three countries will examine ways and means to repatriate the 10,000 FDLR combatants to Rwanda.'
'The Lubumbashi meeting may lead to Rwanda softening its position regarding the return of the FDLR and Uganda displaying greater sincerity in its relations with the DRC,' the paper speculates.

In the same regard, LE POTENTIEL notes that 'the Lubumbashi meeting will be assessing progress, if any, in the process of normalising the security situation at common borders, in accordance with the US-initiated agreement signed in Washington.'

Also drawing newspaper attention is the meeting recently held in Washington between the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karel de Gucht, and the US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice. Speaking 'from Washington, Karel de Gucht denounces pervasive corruption in the DRC,' reads LE POTENTIEL's headline. Recalling that Mr de Gucht 'expressed the wish of the United States and Belgium to see good governance take root in the DRC,' the paper warns that 'the discredit that reported cases of corruption, looting and bad governance cast on the Congolese political class is not likely to win the confidence of foreign partners.'

'The Washington meeting on the DRC has not yet produced any results,' writes LE PHARE, suggesting that the details of the meeting remain a 'big secret'. However, the paper speculates, 'despite the silence surrounding the discussions between the Belgian and US diplomats, no one would be surprised should every step be taken to make the June 30 deadline [for the political transition] look less like a dangerous crossing than a soft landing.'

On the issue of whether or not the political transition would be extended, LE REFERENCE PLUS quotes the head of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), Father Malu-Malu, in saying that 'the CEI will propose an extension, although it is not responsible for the delay.' According to the paper, Malu-Malu also announced that 'voter identification and enrolment operations will begin in June 2005.'

On the same subject, LE PALMARES, under the headline 'tension rises in Brussels', reports that 'a communiqué announces that the DRC embassy building in Brussels will be ransacked if the government, formed according to the 1+4 formula, does not step down.'
According to LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES, 'Brussels-based Congolese citizens call for mobilisation.'

Reporting on the UN mission's weekly press conference held on Wednesday, LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES stresses that 'MONUC denounces the continued presence of underground and illegal dungeons in Rutshuru and Masisi' in North Kivu province.
'These jails are widely used to illegally detain civilians, and for purpose of extortion of citizens' money and other goods,' says the paper, citing MONUC's human rights director, Luc Henkinbrant.