Brussels, 15/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 15 February, the Council of the EU stated that there is no solution to the Burundian crisis other than through “an inclusive political dialogue, under international mediation and in compliance with the Arusha Agreement and the Constitution of Burundi”, and it added that it was waiting for “positive signals”.
The conclusions, adopted without debate by the European foreign ministers on the sidelines of their meeting in Brussels, call on all parties - and in particular the Burundian authorities - to subscribe to this approach.
Deploring that the situation in Burundi remains deadlocked despite the efforts of the international community, the European Union again condemned “any use of force to solve the crisis in Burundi” and reiterated “the priority it attaches to protecting and supporting the population”.
The EU hails the decision of the African Union to send a high-level delegation to Burundi as quickly as possible in order to conduct consultations on the inclusive inter-Burundian dialogue. The EU warns that in view of the lack of positive signals, restrictive measures to cooperation with Burundi could be imposed, under Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement. “The full participation of the Government of Burundi in the inter-Burundian dialogue, as requested by the UN Security Council and the AU's Peace and Security Council, is essential” and “any other step towards de-escalation and political opening” would also be very welcome, the conclusions state.
The EU notes that the political consultations that took place on 9 December with a view to remedying the situation denounced by the EU (violation of democratic principles, the rule of law and human rights) have not been successful. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)