Mr. Kabeya, I want to thank you for your important presentation. I think it is essential to call attention, once again, to the extraordinary level of violence that your country has suffered for 20 or more years. Members of Parliament recognize that this is, indeed, the most violent part of the world, and has been for quite some time. As a country, whatever the party in office, we continue, in cooperation with the United Nations, to try and create opportunities for greater stability in the Congo.
I would like to begin by expressing one thought. The dilemma we are facing is that a sovereign government is in power in the Congo. That is a reality. The Congo is a member of the United Nations. It has a government and a president. There is a political reality in the Congo, and it is not possible, either for a country such as Canada or the United Nations, to claim that such a government does not exist. There is a government in place.
Your recommendations lead me to believe that there is no government in the Congo. Yes, there are mining companies, but there is also a government which is responsible for legislation, the environment and the activities of those companies within its own borders. We are currently discussing Bill C-300, an Act respecting corporate accountability for the activities of mining, oil or gas corporations in developing countries, which deals directly with the issue of mining companies' activities. Naturally, Liberal members of Parliament support the important principle of the social responsibility of large Canadian companies and corporations. At the same time, we have to give some thought to the current reality. If there are currently U.N. troops in the Congo, they are there with the support of the Congo government. If the government of the Congo said it did not want troops in its territory, there would not be any. It would be very difficult for the United Nations to be there without being invited by the government. It is very similar to the situation in Afghanistan. We are in Afghanistan at the invitation of the President of that country, even though many people have questions about Mr. Karzaï's government.
I would like to receive a clear response from you on this. Am I to understand that you and your group do not recognize the legality of President Kabila's government? This is an important question.