PRESS STATEMENT ON CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, CHAD BY PRESIDENT OF SECURITY COUNCIL

PRESS STATEMENT ON CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, CHAD

BY PRESIDENT OF SECURITY COUNCIL

Following is the text of yesterday’s press statement on the Central African Republic and Chad by Alfonso Valdivieso (Colombia), President of the Security Council:

Members of the Security Council heard successively the Prime Minister of the Central African Republic, Martin Ziguele, and the Permanent Representative of Chad, Koumtog Laotegguelnodgi.

Members of the Security Council noted with satisfaction that both the Central African Republic and Chad are willing to show mutual restraint and to settle their differences through political dialogue.  They welcomed the commitment expressed by both representatives to implement fully and without delay the agreement reached at the Libreville summit of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), under the aegis of the President of Gabon, El Hadj Omar Bongo.

Members of the Security Council felt particularly encouraged that both parties announced they would implement without delay the following measures: reactivation of the Joint Commission, meeting of the two Presidents, joint patrolling along the border.

Members of the Security Council expressed their wish that both parties will now seize the opportunity of the CEMAC deployment, under the leadership of Gabon and with the logistical and financial support of France, to normalize their relations as quickly as possible.  They called on all Member States to provide, as appropriate, financial and logistical support to the CEMAC force.

* *** *