New York, 26/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Swedish Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Pierre Schori (former MEP), during a open meeting of the Security Council, on 25 January in New York, over Sierra Leon, announced on behalf of the EU and the associate countries, as well as the EEA countries, its "strong support for the Security Council's intention to act in order to place pressure n President Taylor", who according to the proof provided by the report from the UN panel of experts on Sierra Leon, continues to play a determining role in "the long and hard conflict: " that engulfs Sierra Leon and is also one of the "main suppliers of arms" to the RUF rebels. The links between the conflict and the smuggling of arms and diamonds are "at the heart of the tragedy" in Sierra Leon, announced the EU Representatives, while underlining that the RUF "continues to rely on the illegal trade in diamonds to finance its campaign of violence, and the population continues to suffer". The EU, he said, calls on Liberia and other parties involved to cease their "systematic and deliberate violations" of the resolutions and sanctions of the Security Council. The EU adds Ambassador Schori, "shares the strong concerns of the panel of experts according to which the sanctions on diamonds and arms are violated with impunity. Thus we think that an effective pressure in order to persuade President Taylor and his associates to respect the sanctions and to stop their support to the rebel movement in the neighbouring countries, should be one of the key elements of the Security Council's reaction and that of the international community to the crisis in West Africa. Such measures should be targeted at the Liberian leaders, while limiting the impact on the people". Moreover, Pierre Schori notes that, while the panel of experts mainly investigated the situation in Sierra Leon, "it became evident that the destabilising plan of President Taylor also extend to Guinea, with dramatic effects on the security and humanitarian situation of refugees and displaced persons in this country." This regional dimension of the crisis further emphasises the need for the Security Council to act, concluded Ambassador Schori.