UN force in place by July

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Monday that the full UN peacekeeping force should be in Sierra Leone by the end of July. "I hope by the end of June or July we will have the full force in - a force of 11,000 - with capacity to carry out its mandate, defend its mandate and carry out its work," Annan told reporters, following the presentation of his millennium report to the UN General Assembly. Efforts were being made, he said, to have the Revolutionary United Front and its leader, Foday Sankoh, understand their responsibilities under the Lome Peace Accord signed in July 1999. Annan urged all Sierra Leoneans to work with the UN to bring peace and stability to the country. "The people want it, they need it, and they are tired of the senseless war," Annan said.