A meeting of the chiefs of defence forces of Uganda and the DR Congo in Kasese District to discuss the situation of insurgents almost failed to take off yesterday after a disagreement on the agenda and particularly the inclusion of a discussion on the Allied Democratic Forces.

The meeting chaired by Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, the Ugandan Chief of Defence Forces , was primarily to carry out a review of the operations of insurgents, characterised as wrong elements by the Ngurdorto Accord, especially those roaming eastern DRC.

But the Congolese delegation reportedly protested the inclusion of a presentation by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence on the ADF, saying the meeting was to discuss the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) activities and not ADF. Congolese Defence Forces (FARDC) Commander, Lt. Gen. Didier Etumba, demanded that the item on the ADF should be removed from the agenda. "The issue of the Allied Democratic Forces rebels shall be discussed in any other meeting as the issue of this meeting is the review of LRA" said Lt. Gen.Etumba.

The bilateral meeting was held on Monday. This follows a similar meeting at Lhubiriha in DR Congo. Gen. Entumba said a presentation planned by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence and the UPDF captured on the agenda as item five could wait for another occasion.

Gen. Nyakairima later agreed to remove the item agenda number five on the programme to enable the meeting run on smoothly but he, however, said the ADF is regrouping in eastern DR Congo. "LRA has the capacity to kill civilians but it is a deminishing force with no logistics and resources and a force of 290 guns according to intelligence information," Gen. Nyakairima said. Gen. Etumba said the DR Congo army will continue working with the UPDF to fight the Ugandan rebels operating in Congo territory.