Situation precarious warns ECOWAS chief

Political stability in Guinea Bissau remains precarious despite significant progress in disarming loyalist and opposition forces, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said in a recent report to the UN Security Council. In his report, details of which were released by the UN Secretary-General's spokesman, ECOWAS Executive Secretary Lansana Kouyate said there was a risk of increased tension between the former enemies as elections drew nearer. General elections, initially slated for the end of March under the Abuja Accord of 1 November 1998, have been postponed to sometime in June or July. Kouyate recommended that those with influence on the opposing parties persuade them to "refrain from recruiting and training new combatants and from hiding weapons. ECOWAS also wants friends of either party to encourage them to resolve the crisis peacefully and avoid any institutional vacuum. The report also calls on the UN humanitarian agencies to provide "effective action" to the country. "Adequate assistance, promptly provided, would do much to alleviate the suffering of displaced persons and refugees," Kouyate said.