Expressing grave concern at the outbreak of fighting in Monrovia and the rapidly deteriorating situation throughout Liberia, the Security Council this afternoon called on the Liberian National Transitional Government and the Liberian parties to work with the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Observer Group (ECOMOG) to immediately disengage all forces, reestablish peace and law and order in the capital and an effective and comprehensive cease-fire throughout the country.

In a statement read out by its President, Juan Somovia (Chile), the Council called on the parties, in particular the United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO-J), to release all hostages without harm. It called upon all parties to take immediate steps to ensure the safety of United Nations and other international personnel and to respect the inviolability of diplomatic personnel and property. It further called upon the parties to return all captured weapons and equipment to ECOMOG.

The Council went on to state that unless Liberia's political leaders immediately showed by concrete positive actions a reaffirmation of their commitment to the 1995 Abuja Agreement and the cease-fire, they risked losing the support of the international community. The Council reaffirmed its support for the Abuja Agreement as the only existing framework for resolving the country's political crisis and the crucial role of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in bringing the conflict to an end.

The Council declared its intention, based on the progress made in implementing the steps called for in its statement, to determine what further measures might be appropriate regarding the future United Nations presence in Liberia.

In his report of 1 April (document S/1996/232) submitted prior to the 6 April outbreak of fighting in Monrovia, the Secretary-General stated that the implementation of the Abuja Agreement is ultimately the responsibility of the Liberian Council of State and especially the faction leaders. The six-man ruling Council was created with the August 1995 signing of the peace agreement by the faction leaders.

The Secretary-General called on the Liberian Council of State to approve the disarmament and demobilization plan immediately to ensure that the factions would be ready to disarm by 30 April in cooperation with ECOMOG and the United Nations. The Secretary-General will report to the Council on progress before the expiration of the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) mandate on 31 May.

Noting that ECOMOG still lacked the additional manpower and logistic capabilities to deploy throughout the country and establish a secure environment for implementing the peace process, the Secretary-General stressed that the international community needed to take urgent action to enable the Mission to discharge its mandate. The failure to provide necessary resources had given the factions the opportunity to procrastinate and renege on their commitments. Without a resolute effort to give ECOMOG the necessary resources, the international community may ultimately face a major humanitarian disaster that could destabilize the subregion and would be far more costly in the long run, the Secretary-General stated.

For further details please see source:
MEETINGS COVERAGE

For further details please see official record:
S/PV.3649

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