Two dominant issues in today's local press: Ex former Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba's arrest and Kisangani conference.

Referring to the preliminary hearing of Jean-Pierre Bemba, the DRC former vice-president and senator to be held today in Brussels, Le Palmarès reports, "Mr. Pierre Legros, Jean-Pierre Bemba's lawyer will attempt to secure his client's temporary release by producing guarantees that his client will surrender to the International Justice whenever needed."

Alluding to yesterday's demonstrations in Kinshasa, Le Phare notes, "rising tensions among Jean-Pierre Bemba's circle" having resulted in the "heavy policing of the Belgian Embassy policed yesterday in anticipation of MLC member' demonstrations.

Le Phare also reports, "MLC members including their senior officials flocked around the speakers of both chambers of parliament to solicit their intervention for MLC leader's temporary release." The paper denounces plot being hatched against DRC, indicating "the Bas-Congo massacre, the Beni mass graves and JP. Bemba's arrest."

With respect to the implementation of the Nairobi communiqué in Kisangani, L`Avenir notes "some progress in the issue about the repatriation of the FDLR from DRC to their home country amidst DRC Government's pressures."

Le Potentiel, however, differs from L`Avenir's in so far as it raises "pre-conditions put forward by FDLR demanding inter Rwandan talks before returning home which hamper the whole process if not addressed properly"
Le Potentiel further says, "the relocation of Rwandan rebels to another province in DRC should be ruled out; they should be relocated to an African country far from the DRC."

In other news, "84 senators have adopted the organic law on the set up, the organisation and functioning of the decentralised territorial entities and their relations with the Government and the provinces," reports Le Potentiel.

After interviewing the Belgian Minister of Cooperation, Le Palmarès argues, "De Gucht must have a personal problem with the DRC" and indicates, "The Congolese issue has divided the Flemish and the Walloons in Belgium."