The OAU envoy to the Comoros, Jose Francisco Madeira, has described as “fruitful” the talks he held on Wednesday in Moutsamoudou with the rebel leader from the neighbouring independence-seeking island of Anjouan, Lt-Col. Said Abeid Abderemane, PANA reported on Friday. Madeira said the fact that “all Comorian parties accept the need to preserve national unity and territorial integrity was in itself a fundamental basis for the archipelago’s sustainable development”. Mandeira said the crucial stage to be crossed was “the putting in place of institutions that guarantee political stability, good governance, democracy and development”. For his part, Abeid, told journalists that he was satisfied with what he termed “the historic step crossed in the search for a solution to the Comorian crisis” as well as “the determination of Comorians to come to an understanding to break the stalemate”. The Colonel said “a few months ago, we were at dagger drawn like enemies waiting for the slightest move from the other, ready to kill each other”. “On the contrary, today confidence is building up as days pass by,” he said. The OAU has been trying to sort out the secessionist and constitutional crises in the archipelago - comprised of Grande Comore, Anjouan and Moheli - for more than three years.
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