Opening of consultations with the ACP side on Mauritania
Louis Michel, Alain Joyandet
© A. Arraou, MAEE
- On: 20.10.2008
Conclusions of the European Union
The European Union considers that the coup d’état that occurred in Mauritania on 6 August 2008 is a serious violation of the essential elements contained in Article 9 of the Cotonou Agreement. It has engaged in political dialogue with the ruling authorities, which has led to the opening of consultations under Article 96 of the Agreement in order to carry out an analysis of the situation and investigate possible solutions for a rapid return to constitutional order.
At the meeting inaugurating these consultations which was held in Paris on 20 October 2008, the European Union was not able to note any satisfactory proposals by the Mauritanian side. The proposals and commitments by the Mauritanian side do not include the immediate and unconditional liberation of the legitimate president and they continue to be of a fundamentally non-constitutional and unlawful nature without any prospects for a return to constitutional order in the short term. This therefore does not open up the possibility of European support in the implementation of this process.
At this stage, the European Union needs to hear the President. In a spirit of openness to dialogue and in full awareness of the complex situation of Mauritanian politics, we wish to watch for positive developments in Mauritania based on a solution that meets the demands of the international community. We therefore propose to the Mauritanian side that the consultations remain open for a period of one month. Another meeting could take place if a potentially satisfactory solution is presented by the Mauritanian side. If there are no new elements within the space of one month, the consultations will be closed and appropriate measures will be proposed to the decision-making bodies of the European Union.
While we await adequate proposals by the Mauritanian side and as long as the situation of serious breaches of the essential elements described by the Cotonou Agreement persists without notable improvements, ongoing cooperation activities will be limited to humanitarian actions or actions that directly benefit the population and to implementation and payments relating to agreements which are already being executed and cannot be interrupted. This approach aims to minimise all cooperation that directly benefits or is handled by the government, its agencies or corporations.
- Updated: 26.11.2008
