Brussels, 20/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - On 18 March on behalf of the EU, the Spanish Presidency adopted the following declaration:
The European Union would point out that, under the Fomboni Framework Agreement, the process of national reconciliation is to culminate in the holding of free, democratic and transparent elections. The first round of Presidential elections in the Union of the Comoros was scheduled for 10 March 2002. Following the postponement of the primary Presidential elections on the island of Grande Comore as a result of a unilateral decision taken by eight of the nine candidates, the international community on the spot in Moroni (OAU, OIF, EU, LAS) expressed the opinion, on 9 March 2002, that all the technical and material conditions were met for balloting to take place normally. Given the risk that non-compliance with the electoral timetable might involve for the still fragile reconciliation process, the European Union is appealing to all the signatories to the Fomboni Agreement, since their efforts alone will allow a political solution to be found. In this connection, the European Union takes the view that the first phase of the elections should be held immediately. The European Union appeals to the commitment to democracy of all the candidates and of the entire Comorian political class and confirms its readiness to resume the fullest co-operation as soon as the institutions and government resulting from the democratic process have been put into place. The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union, associated countries Cyprus, Malta, and Turkey, and the EFTA country Liechtenstein, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.