Luxembourg, 13/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - The General Affairs Council (GAC) gathered on Tuesday adopted conclusions concerning:
- Sierra Leone/ Liberia. "Deeply concerned" buy the continuing crisis in Sierra Leone, the GAC: - strongly supports the efforts of United Nations peacekeeping forces aiming to restore long-term peace and stability; - invites the international community to join the EU in supporting a strategy in Sierra Leone, which further stabilises the security situation, repels the rebels and restores the peace process and helps to rebuild this country; - welcomes the decisions of the government of Sierra Leone to put Foday Sankoh, leader of the RUF, on trial and expresses the EU's willingness to consider any requests from this government for assistance on this issue; - while acknowledging the responsible role which President Taylor of Liberia played in the release of United Nations detainees in Sierra Leone, expressed deep concern that President Taylor has failed to act to prevent arms and other supplies from reaching the rebels from the territory of Liberia, that close links remain between those rebels and supporters in Liberia and that the illicit diamond trade continues through Liberia; - calls on Liberia to behave in a responsible and consistent way by contributing to a solution in the crisis in Sierra Leone; - indicate that EU policy, including under the Lomé Convention, will take full account of Liberia's behaviour in regard to Sierra Leone.
- Zimbabwe. The GAC: - is "seriously concerned" by the recent obstacles put in the way of international observers responsible for observing the elections on the 24/25 June; - regrets because of these developments, that the United Nations has had to withdraw from their role as co-ordinator for the various electoral observer teams; - is also concerned that the observers are facing obstacles in obtaining accreditation and that the Government of Zimbabwe has place conditions on the number and activities of the observer in the field in a way which falls short of internationally accepted standards; - recalls that the observers are there with the consent on the Government of Zimbabwe; - expects that it will make good on its assurances about the security and freedom of access for observers and urges it to do all it can to assist them in their work to observe the forthcoming election in a transparent and comprehensive way, so as to increase confidence in the electoral process; - states that it continues to be seriously concerned by the ongoing violence and intimidation in Zimbabwe and recalled its statement of 7 May.
