ACP SECRETARIAT

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

Brussels, 20 January 2004

 

The ACP Group and the European Union in agreement on the conclusions of the first political dialogue meeting on the situation in Guinea.

 

The ACP Group holds a very positive view of the discussion and conclusions of the first consultations on the political situation in Guinea-Bissau, which was held in Brussels on 19 January 2004. The consultations which were organised in the framework for political dialogue as provided for in the Cotonou Agreement, were requested by the European side following the coup d’Etat in Guinea-Bissau on 14th September 2003.

 

The Guinea-Bissau delegation* led by the Prime Minister, Mr. Antonio Artur SANHA, informed representatives of the Commission and European Union Member-States of the context in which the coup d’Etat occurred, which it found reprehensible as any seizure of power, but profitable for having stopped a situation of chaos and opened the way to a sustainable democratic solution. It also provided detailed responses to a list of questions from the European side on democracy and state of law, notably on the preparation for the parliamentary elections planned on 28th march 2004 and on the guaranties on their fairness ; the institutional framework, particularly on the independence of justice, the control over the army by the civilian power, the transparency of the conducts of public affairs ; and on the follow up of the commitments taken by the Government of transition in the framework of the political dialogue which has been launched.

 

In concluding the meeting, the European Union noted, with satisfaction, the Guinea-Bissau Government’s commitments in relation to restoring constitutional rule, and in relation to the establishment of structural conditions for sustainable political and economical stability ; and in relation to the follow up of theses commitments.

 

A three-month period was established for the consultations, along which, European Union will offer its support to the implementation of the commitments and will follow the cooperation activities in the framework of the European Development Funds.

 

The ACP-EC consultations on the Guinea Bissau were preceded by a special ACP ambassadorial meeting at which the ACP Ambassadors reiterated their condemnation of the coup d’Etat of 14th September 2003 while noting the willingness of the Guinea Bissau authorities to quickly restore a system of constitutional rule

 

*The delegation also included : Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Communities, Mr. Joao José Silva MONTEIRO ; Minister of Economy and  Finances, Mr. Abubacar DAHBA ; Member of Transition national Committee, former Prime-Minister and current political party leader, Mr. Fautino Fudut IMBALI, and Special Counsellor of the President, Mr. Carlos Alberto Pinto PEREIRA. 

 

 

SECRETARIAT ACP

Contact: Hegel GOUTIER, ACP Head Press & Communication

Tél: +32.2.743.06.04/93                             Fax: +32.2.743.06.58

e-mail: goutier@acp.int                            ACP website: www.acp.int