President Felix Tshisekedi has called on the United States to bring pressure to bear on Rwanda to stop backing M23 rebels overrunning the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo in recent months, APA learnt on Thursday.
President Tshisekedi was speaking his America counterpart Joe Biden on the sidelines of the US-Africa leaders’ summit which began in Washington on Tuesday.
Washington had earlier warned Kigali against supporting the rebels who have taken control of several key towns and cities in eastern DR Congo since September.
Kigali had always denied supporting the rebels and accused Kinshasa in turn of backing rebels threatening Rwanda.
However, responding to the US-Congo position on the security situation in DR Congo, Rwandan President Paul Kagame told the sidelines of the summit that his country will not cower to bullies.
He was speaking in the presence of counterparts from Uganda, Angola, Kenya and Burundi who had gathered to discuss the deteriorating situation in the DR Congo.
Congolese president Mr Tshisekedi was conspicuous with his absence from the meeting about the situation in his country and review the implementation of the deals reached in Luanda and Nairobi to end the conflict.
Meanwhile, the M23 have denied going on a killing spree in cities under their control including Bambo and Kishishe, following UN allegations that their rebels have shot dead over 100 people last November.
Close to 500, 000 people have fled their homes in eastern DR Congo since the escalation of the fighting between the rebels and regular Congolese troops.
WN/as/APA