Decision on the Situation in Liberia

DECISION ON THE SITUATION IN LIBERIA
Doc. EX/CL/42 (Hill

The Executive Council:

1. REAFFIRMS its appreciation and support for the on-going efforts of ECOWAS to restore peace, security and stability to Liberia, particularly the efforts of the current Chairman of ECOWAS, President John Kufuor of Ghana in hosting the peace talks in Accra, and the role of President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria in facilitating the establishment of transitional arrangements in the country;

2. WELCOMES and fully supports the recent invitation extended by Nigeria to President Charles Taylor and the conditions underpinning that invitation as announced by President Obasanjo in Monrovia on 6 July 2003, including refraining from any harassment or exertion of undue pressure on Nigeria on the matter;

3. FURTHER WELCOMES the signing in Accra, Ghana, on 17 June 2003, of the Agreement on the Ceasefire and Cessation of Hostilities between the Government of the Republic of Liberia and Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL), under the auspices of the Current Chairman of ECOWAS President Kufuor of Ghana, and the mediation of General Abdulsalami Abubakar, former Head of State of Nigeria;

4. EXPRESSES its concern over the recent resumption of fighting in Monrovia in breach of the Ceasefire Agreement of 17 June 2003, commends the parties for ceasing hostilities, and URGES them to continue to observe that agreement, so as to allow for the creation of an atmosphere conducive to the conduct of the on-going negotiations, the resumption of urgently-needed humanitarian assistance to the severely affected population, the completion by the Joint Verification Team (JVT) of its assignment and the facilitation of the early deployment of an Interposition Force and an International Stabilization Force;

5. REITERATES the position of the African Union as enunciated in the Algiers Decision of 1999 and the Lome Declarations of 2000, that the Union will not recognize any unconstitutional change of government;

6. APPEALS to the parties to continue to extend their co-operation to the Mediator General Abubakar, supported by the team of Facilitators representing the international community including the AU, in the resumed negotiations in order to expedite conclusion of a comprehensive peace agreement;

7. FURTHER APPEALS to Member States of the African Union and the larger international community, to provide urgently-needed humanitarian assistance to the affected population, and calls on the warring parties to desist from launching attacks on the personnel and relief supplies of humanitarian agencies;

8. CALLS on the international community to support the efforts of ECOWAS to deploy an Interposition Force as well as an International Stabilization Force, for the purpose of securing the ceasefire and facilitating the restoration of peace and security in Liberia.