Wednesday's news conference held by Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Deputy Under Secretary-General for peacekeeping operations is the major issue in today's local papers.

On the second day of his visit to DRC, the Chief of the UN peacekeeping operations conferred with journalists yesterday. The conference focused on the electoral time frame. Elections "must be opened to everybody," says L'Observateur, quoting Mr. Guéhenno, "Non inclusive elections will have no legitimacy." Jean Marie Guéhenno "appealed to all the Congolese political leaders to refrain from neither making intransigent decisions nor excluding one another or yet excluding themselves by pushing up the stakes," reports Le Phare.

La Tempête des Tropiques quotes the Chief of the UN peacekeeping operations as calling on the Congolese people "to be ready for compromise." Unfortunately, he cannot arbitrate "an issue that must be addressed by Congolese themselves," explains La Tempête des Tropiques. In any case, "there won't be a third rebellion in DRC... Those having such intentions should know that their adventure is doomed to failure," warns L'Observateur. Elections will "certainly take place in DRC," further says L'Observateur.

"It won't be easy anyway...," recognises Le Phare, echoing Jean Marie Guéhenno's interview, "What matters most is not to find out when the train will get to the station but whether it will arrive safe," points out L'Observateur.

UDPS continues to demand that registration centers be reopened for its members. In this connection, they planned "a protest march in Kinshasa this Friday," reports L'Avenir. "The march will go from Gare centrale square up to MONUC headquarters where they will hand a memorandum to the Representative of the UN Secretary General in DRC, William Swing," says L'Avenir.

"After securing the Supreme Court ruling on the eviction of the speaker of Parliament, Olivier Kamitatu who is no longer member of ML, Pierre Bemba, MLC leader has addressed a letter to President Kabila to request his personal involvement for the eviction in his capacity as the highest officer and guarantor for the transitional constitution in accordance with the Supreme Court decision that when an MP leaves his component he indeed loses his seat in the Parliament," further says Le Phare.

In another development, Le Palmarès writes, "Azarias Ruberwa complains and utters threats on the Minembwe issue." "Joseph Kabila is faced with a dilemma on this issue: If he gives in out of weakness, he will lose his electorate in Kivu; if he is opposed, he will anger RCD which will in turn take up arms again," believes Le Palmarès.