UN Spokesman Fred Eckhard said Annan had been following, with concern, the mounting tension between the two countries in the wake of attacks on towns and villages that had left many civilians dead. A key aspect of this agreement, signed in July, calls for the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of former combatants. In Guinea the decision to move refugees away from the border, where they have been victims of attacks by armed groups from Sierra Leone, has been hampered by the lack of funds. He cannot violate the ceasefire unilaterally. Experts discuss arms register for Africa Delegates from 20 African countries, subregional economic groupings, the UN and research institutions are due to end their discussions today on setting up an arms register and database facility in Africa.
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Annan calls for global push to halt spread UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has been calling for regional and subregional registers of small arms to complement the international conventional weapons register, which covers major weapons systems. He told a ministerial-level meeting of the UN Security Council in New York on Friday that the world must seize every chance to reverse the global spread of light weapons. Nigeria calls for repatriation of stolen wealth Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo called for an international convention on Thursday that would ensure the repatriation of money stolen from Africa and other developing countries by corrupt regimes and individuals working in collaboration with foreign partners. He said the convention would compel banks to disclose the source of illegal accounts and repatriate capital to the countries of rightful ownership. He called for the guilty parties to be punished by national and international law.