Closing Session of the Ministerial Meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Nine on Liberia

"The Abuja Agreement provided for the basic essentials toward peace. These elements include establishment of a cease-fire, disarmament, encampment, demobilisation of fighters and the holding of elections which will enable the people of Liberia to decide the Government of their choice. But the events after Abuja notwithstanding the initial genuine euphoria which accompanied the installation of the Council of State have by and large been a disappointment and more recently very distressing. There has been no movement as far as disarmament, encampment and demobilisation is concerned. Indeed even partial proportional disarmament has not been achieved -not even seriously attempted. It is also looking less and less likely that elections will take place within the time frame envisaged by the Abuja Agreement... and to compound it all we have the tragic events of the last four weeks." - Dr. Salim, May 8, 1996