Brussels, 12/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - The French Presidency made the following delcaration of behalf of the EU:
"The EU hopes that the election of Mr Abdulkassim Salat Hassan as President of Somalia by the National Transitional Assembly meeting in Arta will contribute to the restoration of the State, to the preservation of national unity and to the territorial integrity of the country, as longed for by the Somali people and desired by the international community. The Union wishes the elected President every success. The EU is willing to enter into dialogue with the new Somali authorities and, once they have established their authority, to support their efforts to rebuild the country, while continuing to give its backing to recovery measures in all areas of Somalia where stable conditions exist. The EU calls on the authorities of Somaliland and Puntland to establish constructive relations with the institutions which have emerged from the Arta process. It also urges the future transitional government to establish a constructive dialogue as soon as possible with the aforementioned authorities for the purpose of reestablishing national unity in peace and with respect for the elements of stability achieved. It invites the heads of the armed movements which remain on the margins of the peace process to associate themselves with that process. The EU hopes that the new Somali authorities will establish close relations of friendship and cooperation with the countries in the region. The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the EU, the associated countries of Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, and the EFTA countries, members of the EEA align themselves with this declaration".