Declaration on air terrorism

The Community and its Member States welcome the unanimous adoption by the Security Council on 21 January of Security Council Resolution 731.

Recalling the statement issued by the Maastricht European Council on the bombing of flights Pan Am 103 and UTA 772, they underline the great importance which they attach to compliance by Libya with Security Council Resolution 731 and urge Libya to fulfil the requests to which the Resolution refers without delay.

Statement on South Africa

The Community and its Member States welcome the outcome of the referendum held in South Africa, which will allow the determined pursuit of the democratisation process initiated more than two years ago.

They consider that the outcome of the referendum and the responsible attitude of all sections of the population during the campaign and the ballot clearly demonstrate the commitment of the South African people to the transformation process under way in their country. They are confident that all South Africans will be involved in future consultations.

Recalling their Statement of 26 February 1992, the Community and its Member States reiterate the importance they attach to the work of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa, as a unique opportunity for the peaceful transformation of South Africa. In this context, they commend the courageous stance of President De Klerk and Mr Nelson Mandela.

The Community and its Member States will continue to support the creation of a democratic and non-racial South Africa and the well-being of all its people.

Statement on Mozambique

The Community and its Member States, who have been following from the outset the course of the peace negotiations between the Government of Mozambique and RENAMO, welcome the signing of Protocol III, concerning the electoral law and citizens' rights, which took place in Rome on 12 March.

They hope that this important new development for the process of national reconciliation will be followed by a significant decrease in the intensity of fighting on the ground before the signing of the ceasefire agreement.

Recalling their statement of 27 May 1991, the Community and its Member States reiterate their support for the efforts of the mediators and encourage the negotiating parties to pursue their efforts towards bringing about a final comprehensive peace agreement.

Declaration on Zaire

The Community and its Member States stress the importance they attach to respect for human rights and to the realisation of the democratisation process in Zaire.

In this connection, they vigorously condemn the act of violence perpetrated by the security forces in Kinshasa on 16 February 1992 and deplore the fact that a large number of innocent victims were injured or killed among the population as a result of the intervention of these forces.

The Community and its Member States refer to their declaration of 22 January 1992 and reiterate their support for all the institutions and political forces involved in order to enable the National Conference to resume its work shortly and under normal circumstances.

Statement on Haiti

The Community and its Member States welcome the agreement reached in Washington, on 23 February 1992, between President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the Parliamentary Commission for Negotiation, which opens the way for the restoration of constitutional order and the return of the legitimate authorities in Haiti.

The Community and its Member States call on all Haitian parties involved to implement this agreement.

The Community and its Member States recall their will to support all efforts conducive to a settlement of the Haitian crisis. They reaffirm their readiness to resume relations of cooperation with Haiti as soon as the rule of law is entirely reestablished.

Statement on ASEAN

The Community and its Member States welcome the conclusions reached by the ASEAN Heads of Government at their summit meeting in Singapore on 27/ 28 January. They believe the summit has opened up promising political perspectives: the internal strengthening of ASEAN and its opening towards the neighbouring countries of South East Asia give hope for the emergence of a strong new pole of stability in Asia, in the context of a multipolar world.

The moves to an ASEAN free trade area through a programme of tariff reductions wholly consistent with GATT are particularly welcome. The Summit's clear endorsement of the GATT open multilateral trading system will assist in our mutual efforts to ensure a successful outcome of the current Uruguay Round.

The Community and its Member States share the wish of ASEAN members for an intensified cooperative relationship, look forward to strengthening the dialogue process and note with interest the proposed widening of the scope of the post-ministerial conference process to include security matters.

The Community and its Member States look forward to the next EC/ ASEAN ministerial meeting, tentatively scheduled for Autumn 1992, which they see as an opportunity for further discussion, in equal partnership, of issues of both bilateral and global concern. They also look forward to the signing, on that occasion, of a new EC/ASEAN cooperation agreement. The Community and its Member States are also ready to share their experience in regional cooperation.

ASEAN's proposal to seek endorsement of the United Nations for the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in South-East Asia and its commitment to the central role of the UN in the maintenance of world peace and security are welcome.

Statement on Ethiopia

The EC and its Member States have from the beginning supported the process of democratisation in Ethiopia which was initiated by the National Conference held in Addis Ababa in July 1991. The recent signing of a revised national indicative programme with Ethiopia, providing for over ECU 200 million of assistance under the Lomé IV Convention, together with Member States' bilateral assistance programmes, show their readiness to support this process. But they firmly believe that the holding of elections, to be preceded by the return to camp of the armed forces of the groups involved, as set out in government proclamations, is the essential next step in taking this process forward.

They have therefore watched with increasing anxiety over recent weeks the difficulties apparently preventing the electoral process from moving forward. They urge the parties involved to conclude their negotiations over encampment of troops rapidly, thereby displaying the essential spirit of compromise. In this way the process intended to lead to free and fair elections can get under way again.

The European Community and its Member States would be deeply concerned by any abandonment of the process of democratisation .