The Congolese signatories, with the assistance of the OAU, have taken an encouraging first step in designating Sir Ketumile Masire, former president of Botswana, as the neutral facilitator for these negotiations. If the United Nations is to make the right kind of difference in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and avoid the wrong turns that have led to tragic consequences elsewhere, we must be ready not only to act, but to act in a way that is commensurate with the gravity of this situation. Whether that means intense political engagement, a sustained commitment of resources or decisive action in the face of unforeseen circumstances, we must see this involvement through. At the same time, we must guard against creating inflated expectations of what can be realistically expected from the United Nations. And we must never lose sight of our central dependence on the compliance of the parties involved.
Time is of the essence.
The United Nations is here to help. But the United Nations has also had bitter experience of help gone wrong. This has made Member States profoundly uneasy and raised the threshold of persuasion for new involvements, even when suffering claims our attention and solidarity demands that we act. If this is an illness of our international system, leadership can provide an antidote. Your challenge is to reach consensus with each other, and transform that consensus into action.