Brussels, 16/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Italian EU Council Presidency has issued the following declaration on behalf of the European Union:
"The European Union welcomes the signing on July 5th by all Somali leaders present in Kenya of a document in which they set out the basic principles that will govern the passage from the second to the third phase of the Mbagathi Conference, as well as the four years of the Transitional Federal Government of the Republic of Somalia. It also expresses its appreciation for the fact that the document was subsequently approved by acclamation by the plenary assembly of the Conference. This is fully in line with the EU Council conclusions on Somalia of 22 July 2002. The European Union notes with satisfaction that once again important differences among the Somali leaders have been overcome by their willingness to compromise and by the patient and effective mediation of the IGAD Technical Committee, headed by the Kenyan Special Envoy, Ambassador Kiplagat. The European Union strongly urges all the Somali leaders who have been unable to return to Kenya to do so without delay and thereby allow the Conference to move into the third and final phase. Moreover, the EU calls on all Somali leaders to avoid actions which may disrupt the Conference, in particular any violations of the 27 October 2002 Eldoret Agreement of the cessation of hostilities. The European Union is convinced that the future of the reconciliation process continues to rest in Somali hands. It therefore calls on all Somali leaders to achieve a final compromise at an early date in order to allow the return of peace and stability to the country, ending a decade of conflict which has caused immense suffering to the Somali people. The European Union stands ready to lend its full support to the IGAD-sponsored peace Conference as well as to a comprehensive and balanced peace agreement and all-inclusive institutions entrusted with its implementation.
The Acceding Countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, the Associated Countries Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey and the EFTA countries, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration".