PRESS STATEMENT ON BURUNDI, CONFLICT PREVENTION IN AFRICA BY PRESIDENT OF SECURITY COUNCIL

PRESS STATEMENT ON BURUNDI, CONFLICT PREVENTION IN AFRICA

BY PRESIDENT OF SECURITY COUNCIL

Following is yesterday's statement to the press on informal consultations in the Security Council on Burundi and conflict prevention in Africa by Jeremy Greenstock (United Kingdom), President of the Security Council:

In informal consultations this morning, we started off with a briefing from the Secretariat on events in Burundi.  The Council was disturbed to hear of reports of continuing violence in Burundi, including attacks on Bujumbura itself, with mortar shells and rockets being fired into the town.  Members of the Council wanted me, on their behalf, to condemn those attacks.  They are indiscriminately against civilians.  There are also mines being laid on roads in the countryside of Burundi, which are indiscriminate in their effect.  The members of the Council wanted the rebel parties to, first of all, stop those attacks and the violence against civilians and also to join the negotiations, which are going to resume in August, in the United Republic of Tanzania, on the peace process in Burundi.  They were critical also of the arms supplies that are being allowed to go to the rebel groups to continue these attacks inside Burundi.  So that is a situation which will need watching by the Council.

We also had a discussion of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa, chaired by Ambassador Koonjul of Mauritius, who gave a report on the work of that Group.  We adopted a number of recommendations.  First of all, on the creation of Groups of Friends of particular countries where conflict is ongoing.  And secondly, on enhancing the relationship between the Security Council and the African Union, and particularly the Peace and Security Council of the African Union.  Those recommendations are going to be taken forward.  Also work on Guinea-Bissau is going to be taken forward by the Working Group, working closely together with the Economic and Social Council Working Group on Africa, which is also taking forward the economic and social aspects of Guinea- Bissau.

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