Brussels, 13/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Portuguese Presidency of the Council made the following declaration on behalf of the EU:
"The European Union is concerned about the effects of the violations of United Nations arms embargoes in conflicts in Africa. Despite the Lomé Peace Agreement seeking a lasting settlement in Sierra Leone and a United Nations arms embargo against the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), fighting between the Government and the RUF continues. In Angola the situation is the same: fighting continues although a peace agreement is in place and a arms embargo on UNITA is in force. Both these cases of continued conflict seem in great part to be possible because of the continuing supplies of arms from outside. In this respect, the European Union expresses its grave concern over the allegations of arms shipments that have helped the RUF and UNITA sustain military operations after the respective peace accords were concluded. The European Union calls on all parties to refrain from any action that contributes to prolonging conflicts further.
The Central and Eastern European Countries associated with the EU, the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, and the EFTA countries, members of the European Economic Area align themselves with this declaration."