Brussels, 15/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - In its conclusions, the European Council reaffirms its desire to adopt a joint strategy for Africa at the Europe-Africa Summit to be held in Lisbon in the second half of 2007. The EU also discussed the situation in four countries:
Sudan: the European Council is deeply concerned by the escalation in violence in Darfur. It calls for the immediate cessation of hostilities and for all parties to respect the existing ceasefire accords and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. The European Council expects the Sudanese authorities to fulfil their obligations to provide effective protection from violence to all citizens and to put an end to impunity in Darfur. It welcomes the outcome of the Special Session of the Human Rights Council on the situation in Darfur and urges that the agreed assessment mission be appointed and dispatched as soon as possible. It strongly urges the Sudanese government to give its unequivocal consent to the implementation of the UN support package for the African Union (AU) Mission in Sudan (AMIS). Recalling UN Security Council resolution 1591, the European Council urges the Government of Sudan to fulfil its obligations and invites the Council to review the position at its next meeting. This is a reminder that the EU is currently moving towards imposing sanctions on the Khartoum regime. On Tuesday 19 December, the Political and Security Committee will examine various options for launching the process towards sanctions against the Sudanese authorities. Among the possible scenarios are immediate oil sanctions, sanctions against people and an air exclusion zone, or the gradual application of these measures, thus allowing the Sudanese authorities the chance to fall into line. The European Council also underlines the importance of an international presence along the borders of Sudan, Chad and the Central African Republic, in order to avoid the spread of the conflict to the entire region.
DRC: the European Council warmly welcomes the successful conduct of the first democratic elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and calls on all political players to engage constructively in the post-transition process. The EU will continue to contribute to the reform of the security sector “through an enhanced ESDP engagement and increased support by the European Community and Member States”. The EU has confirmed that it was ready to coordinate international efforts in the security sector, in close cooperation with the United Nations, to support the Congolese authorities.
Somalia: the EU is prepared to continue to support the negotiation process launched in Khartoum in June 2006. The European Council urges the federal institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) to refrain from any action that could imperil the dialogue, and, in particular, to respect the commitments made in the framework of the Khartoum talks. It calls on both parties to take immediate steps to reduce existing tensions, and especially on the UIC to refrain from any measure aimed at expanding the territory under its control.
Côte d'Ivoire: in a paragraph which makes no reference to Mr Gbagbo, the European Council calls on all Ivorian parties to give full support to Prime Minister Charles Conan Banny so that he has the real effective powers enabling him to implement the mandate entrusted to him to organise free and fair elections by 31 October 2007. (oj)