Brussels, 12/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - The French Presidency has, on behalf of the EU, issued the following statement:
"The European Union welcomes the setting up of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Togo and requests its members and the parties they represent to do their utmost to ensure that this Commission can begin its work, in particular by appointing a Chairman and deciding how the Commission is to operate. As the European Union indicated in its declaration of 20 April, establishment of the Commission makes it possible to plan the date of the general elections. The European Union urges the Togolese parties to reach an understanding enabling them swiftly to make the arrangements still needed for these elections to be held. It also urges them to embark resolutely on implementation of the other provisions of the Lomé Framework Agreement. The European Union repeats its offer of financial support for the electoral process provided that the Togolese partners accept the principle of assistance with identification of the necessary measures.
As they have done hitherto, the facilitators of the intra-Togolese dialogue will contine, with the support of the European Union, to follow closely the dialogue process.
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".