B4-0168, 0173, 0183, 0191, 0202 and 0211/99

Resolution on Guinea-Bissau

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Guinea-Bissau,

- having regard to the UN Security Council's resolution 1216 of 21 December 1998,

A. whereas a peace agreement was signed in Abuja on 1 November 1998 between President Joao Bernardo Vieira and General Ansumane Mané to end the conflict which has been going on since 7 June 1998 in Guinea-Bissau,

B. recalling that this agreement provides for the withdrawal of foreign forces and the deployment of ECOMOG, the intervention force of the Economic Community of West African States, composed of Niger, Benin and Togo forces,

C. whereas, just before most of the ECOMOG troops were dispatched, a new outbreak of hostilities took place in Guinea-Bissau's capital, allegedly caused by certain forces backing President Vieira,

D. whereas on 3 February 1999 a new ceasefire was signed between the warring parties under the auspices of ECOWAS,

E. whereas a solution to the conflict may be reached only through reconciliation and full implementation of the Abuja agreement,

F. whereas due to the new wave of violence thousands of civilians fled the capital in search of refuge,

G. extremely concerned by the threat to lives and by human rights abuses against civilians as a result of military operations which violate fundamental international humanitarian law,

H. concerned by the continuing involvement of foreign troops, mainly from Senegal and the Republic of Guinea, which have been accused by international human rights organizations of human rights abuses against civilians,

I. concerned at the threat of famine which hangs over the population of the country in general and Bissau in particular,

J. stressing that the economy of this country, which is among the poorest in Africa, has been devastated by several months of armed conflict,

K. warning against the danger of an internationalisation of the conflict,

1. Condemns the new wave of violence in Guinea-Bissau and calls on the warring factions to fully implement the ceasefire of 3 February 1999;

2. Deplores and condemns the political irresponsibility, shortsightedness and complete insensitivity of the political and military leaders who, against the interests of their people, resumed this war;

3. Urges the parties involved to undertake unreservedly the full implementation of the Abuja peace accords, in particular by forming a government of national union and holding direct presidential and general elections, with respect for the independence and territorial integrity of Guinea-Bissau;

4. Denounces the destabilizing role of all foreign troops in the conflict and calls for their withdrawal, with the exception of the ones agreed by both parties within ECOMOG, as a prior condition for the implementation of the peace accord and the installation of the new government;

5. Calls on the European Union to provide technical and financial support for the West African intervention force which is responsible for peace-keeping;

6. Asks the Commission to dispatch the required humanitarian aid and calls on all the sides in the conflict to comply strictly with the relevant provisions of international law, in particular humanitarian law, and to ensure that the humanitarian organisations working in Guinea-Bissau have safe and free access to the victims of the conflict;

7. Asks the Council to offer more active support for a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict and calls on the Member States to act as one single body;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the OAU, ECOWAS, the Co-Presidents of the ACP/EU Joint Assembly, to the Governments of Senegal and the Republic of Guinea and to the National Assembly, the Prime Minister designate and the President of Guinea-Bissau.