SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES UGANDA REBELS TO RESPOND POSITIVELY TO PRESIDENT’S CALL FOR DIALOGUE

Secretary-General urges uganda rebels to respond positively

to president’s call for dialogue

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

The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement made on 14 April by President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, in which he reiterated his readiness to talk with the leaders of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), either directly or through intermediaries, in order to reach a peaceful resolution of the conflict in northern Uganda.

The 18-year conflict has had devastating consequences for innocent civilians, particularly children, and all efforts must now be made to ensure a rapid and definitive end to the violence in the area.  The Secretary-General calls on the LRA to refrain from any further acts of violence against civilians and to respond positively to President Museveni’s call for dialogue.  He urges all those with influence over the LRA to encourage it to enter into a dialogue with the Government, for the sake of peace.

The Secretary-General also calls upon the international community to continue to support efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to affected civilians.

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