But Zartman does not dismiss the prospect of Kabila staying in power. The role of the Great Lakes Policy Forum is not to replace government figures, he says, but to open up a dialogue on both sides of the fighting and to develop a proposal that will get the peace process started. That means getting outside powers, such as the United States and the United Nations, to help in these negotiations. They are so busy carrying out their own conflict that they don't think of ways to get out of it. Zartman says he will continue to do what he can, but there comes a time when you've done all the pushing you can do, and matters will have to take their own course.
Life goes on.
That is when the situation will change. It will no longer be as ripe a moment as right now.