UN Envoy Says Kony Willing To Sign Peace Deal

The reclusive leader of Uganda’s rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) is finally willing to sign a peace agreement to end his 21 year insurgency, a UN envoy has said. According to UN Special envoy Joaquim Chissano, LRA leader Joseph Kony has indicated that he will sign the already negotiated agreement after a personal meeting with the talks mediator, South Sudanese Vice President Riek Machar. Kony declined to sign the agreement in April, insisting that the International Criminal Court must first drop all charges it had filed against him. Chissano says he is making arrangements for Kony to meet Machar, and is consulting widely on the way forward. [PE]