Berne - The UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan, yesterday said he had received the personal assurance of President Laurent Kabila of former Zaire that a delayed investigation into alleged massacres could proceed.
He told a news conference during an official visit to Berne, Switzerland, that he received a letter signed by Mr Kabila on Saturday "confirming his commitment . . . that the team can proceed with its work, that the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo commits itself to protecting them."
The 23-member mission, appointed by Mr Annan after he gave in to Mr Kabila's demands about the composition and mandate of a previous team led by Chilean Mr Roberto Garreton, arrived in the capital, Kinshasa, two weeks ago.
Aid officials and human rights groups say thousands of Rwandan Hutus were massacred by Mr Kabila's troops and their Rwandan Tutsi backers during their successful seven-month revolt to topple the former Zaire's veteran dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko, who died on Sunday.