SUMMIT COMMUNIQUE CONGRATULATES PRESIDENTS OF GABON, EQUATORIAL GUINEA FOR PROGRESS TOWARDS PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF BORDER DISPUTE

SUMMIT COMMUNIQUE CONGRATULATES PRESIDENTS OF GABON , EQUATORIAL GUINEA

FOR PROGRESS TOWARDS PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF BORDER DISPUTE

Following is the joint communiqué from the tripartite summit between the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President of the Gabonese Republic, El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba, and the President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, on the settlement of the territorial dispute between Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in Geneva, 27 February:

The President of the Gabonese Republic, El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba, and the President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, met today in Geneva in the presence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and at his invitation.  The meeting, which took place in a cordial and positive spirit, offered an opportunity to take stock of the mediation aimed at arriving at a negotiated solution to the territorial dispute between Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and to discuss how best to secure a speedy conclusion to the mediation.

The Secretary-General congratulated President Bongo Ondimba and President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo on their wisdom and their determination to find a peaceful solution to their border dispute.  He also thanked them for their support for his mediation efforts, facilitated by his Special Adviser, Mr. Yves Fortier.

The Secretary-General and the two Presidents noted with satisfaction that Gabon and Equatorial Guinea had already made considerable progress with the assistance of the United Nations.  The Secretary-General emphasized that the efforts accomplished to date demonstrated that the two neighbouring States could work together to settle their dispute in a peaceful manner.

President Bongo Ondimba and President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo reiterated their support for the Secretary-General’s mediation efforts, facilitated by his Special Adviser Mr. Yves Fortier, to settle pending issues speedily.

The parties decided to embark immediately on negotiating the final delimitation of their maritime and land borders and settling the issue of sovereignty over the islands of Mbanié, Cocotier and Conga.  For that purpose, they agreed to draw up a timetable for the purpose of settling the major outstanding issues before the end of this year.  The parties decided that a meeting of experts would be held in Geneva on 15 March 2006.

The two Heads of State agreed to meet again in due course under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General in order to formalize the outcome of these negotiations.

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For information media • not an official record