Brussels, 29/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - On 24 March, the Portuguese Presidency made the following declaration on behalf of the European Union:
" The European Union, having received fuller information on the circumstances of the death on the night of 20/21 November 1999 of Gabriel Gisabwamana, member of the National Transition Assembly, wishes to voice its concern. Quite apart from the emotion aroused by the death of a human being, the EU considers that the perpetration of such violence against a representative of the Burundian nation and a member of an institution engaged in inter-Burundian talks, is particularly serious. The EU would repeat that the spread of any form of violence, whoever the perpetrators, can only hold back the peace process and delay the successful outcome of the current talks. The EU is glad that the alleged perpetrator of this act of violence has been handed over to the judicial authorities and it wants to see that person judged in accordance with the law. The EU urges the highest authorities of the State to do everything possible to prevent the recurrence of such acts of violence.
The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union, the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, and the EFTA countries, members of the European Economic Area align themselves with this declaration.