CONGO PLANS TO HOLD LONG-DELAYED PRESIDENTIAL AND PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS ON JULY 30, ITS FIRST MULTI-PARTY POLLS FOR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES, THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION SAID ON SUNDAY, REUTERS REPORTED. THE ELECTIONS IN THE MINERAL-RICH FORMER BELGIAN COLONY HAD OFFICIALLY BEEN SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 18 AFTER BEING POSTPONED FROM 2005 BUT LOGISTICAL DELAYS, POLITICAL SQUABBLES AND FESTERING VIOLENCE HAD MADE ANOTHER POSTPONEMENT INEVITABLE. THE POLLS ARE INTENDED TO DRAW A LINE UNDER A FIVE-YEAR WAR AND ENSUING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS THAT DREW IN SIX NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES AND HAS KILLED AT LEAST 4 MILLION PEOPLE. "THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND THE LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS FOR THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ... WILL BE ORGANISED ON JULY 30, 2006," THE CEI SAID IN A STATEMENT. IT SAID CAMPAIGNING FOR THE POLLS WOULD BEGIN ON JUNE 29 AND FINISH ON JULY 28 AT MIDNIGHT. WHEN THE ORIGINAL ELECTION DEADLINES WERE MISSED IN 2005, SCORES OF PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND INJURED AS SECURITY FORCES BROKE UP PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS, MOSTLY IN THE CAPITAL AND THE OPPOSITION STRONGHOLD OF THE KASAI PROVINCES. THE DELAYS ARE SEEN AS BENEFITING MEMBERS OF A POWER-SHARING TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT SET UP IN 2003 AFTER A STRING OF PEACE DEALS -- A COALITION OF FORMER BELLIGERENTS AND POLITICIANS HEADED BY PRESIDENT JOSEPH KABILA. "IT IS A POSITIVE STEP TO HAVE CLARITY ON A DATE. IT IS NOW IMPORTANT THAT WE STICK TO THIS DATE," BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO KINSHASA, ANDY SPARKES, TOLD REUTERS. "IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT THE CAMPAIGN BE CARRIED OUT IN A CONSTRUCTIVE ATMOSPHERE AND WITH FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION." --MORE 2249 Local Time 1949 GMT
