SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES TRANSITIONAL AGREEMENT IN COMOROS

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES TRANSITIONAL AGREEMENT IN COMOROS

The following statement was issued by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 24 December:

The Secretary-General welcomes the Agreement on Transitional Arrangements in the Comoros, concluded in Moroni on 20 December 2003 between the President of the Comoros and the Presidents of the autonomous islands of Anjouan, Mwali and Ngazidja, in the presence of the President of the Republic of South Africa and Facilitator of the efforts of the countries of the region and African Union Troika.

The Secretary-General urges the Comoran parties to respect the commitments they have undertaken with a view to implementing, as soon as possible, the provisions of this agreement, which should be an important step towards peace, national reconciliation and economic development in the Comoros.

The Secretary-General pays tribute to President Mbeki, the region’s leaders and the regional and international organizations involved in the reconciliation process in the Comoros for their mediation efforts, which have made this agreement possible.

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