U.N. Security Council chiefs including 11 ambassadors arrived in Congo on Saturday to pep up a sluggish peace process backed by the world body's biggest peace mission and check preparations for polls due next year, Reuters reported. The delegation led by France's Security Council Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere plans to visit five countries in Africa's troubled Great Lakes region starting with the Democratic Republic of Congo, but officials said President Joseph Kabila would be unable to meet them on Sunday as planned. "Lots has been done but there is still a lot to do for elections to take place by June 30th next year. The Security Council puts a lot of effort into the process so we will be very vigilant for any obstacles that might block it," de la Sabliere said in a brief statement to reporters after his arrival. The United Nations has its biggest peacekeeping mission in Congo with nearly 17,000 troops and policemen and a budget of around $1 billion a year. The delegation plans to meet Kabila, his vice-presidents, the president of the national assembly, the electoral commission and non-governmental organisations while in Congo. --More 2252 Local Time 1952 GMT
