16/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - One day after the announcement that Joseph Kabila had won the Presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (with 58.05% of the vote), the EU High Representative Javier Solana spoke on the telephone to both the victor and Jean-Pierre Bemba. He congratulated President Kabila, and gave him assurances that the European Union would continue to “to work, alongside the Congolese authorities on the huge task of reconstructing of the DRC, keystone of African stability,” said a press release. Mr Solana also congratulated Mr Bemba on his showing and stressed that he would remain one of “the major political players for the forthcoming period in the DRC”. (hb)