SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES POLITICAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN PAPUA NEW GUINEA GOVERNMENT, BOUGAINVILLE

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES POLITICAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN PAPUA NEW GUINEA

GOVERNMENT, BOUGAINVILLE

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General is delighted to join the rest of the international community in celebrating the signing in Arawa (Bougainville) on 30 August 2001 of a Comprehensive Political Agreement between the national Government of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville leaders.  In his view, the parties to the Agreement, and all others concerned, are to be congratulated on the wisdom and foresight they have shown in reaching the Agreement, which covers the crucial issues of autonomy, referendum and weapons disposal.

The Secretary-General commends the Peace Monitoring Group, comprising representatives from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Vanuatu, for the important role it has played in the peace process.  He is especially glad that the United Nations, through the work of its Political Office in Bougainville, has been able to make a contribution to national reconciliation.

The Secretary-General expresses the readiness of that Office to assist the parties in the task of implementing this historic Agreement, and particularly disposing of their weapons, on which, he hopes, they will now focus.  The surrender of weapons by the combatants would clear the way for post-conflict peace-building activities, which in turn can help to ensure that the people of Bougainville benefit materially from the return of peace to the island.

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