Brussels, 27/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, the Council of the EU issued a declaration on the Ivory Coast hailing the agreement reached on 24 January between the different political forces of the Ivory Coast after the discussions organised by France in Linas-Marcoussis from 15 to 23 January. The EU encourages the parties to implement this agreement and undertakes to use all instruments available to it to contribute to this as, at the request of the Ivory Coast, the EU is now part of the follow-up committee (alongside the United Nations, the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States). Finally, the EU welcomes the support given to the agreement by the Conference of African Heads of State held on 25 and 26 January, in Paris, and calls for implementation of regional confidence measures in the context of the Economic Community of West African States.
President Prodi, AFP states, said on this occasion that the EU may envisage funding the operational costs of the follow-up committee and contribute, together with the World Bank, to the operations for demobilisation of fighters and their reinsertion in civilian life.