ECOWAS Foreign Minister Meet On Sierra Leone

Accra, Aug. 14, -- Ghana today called for a speedy and successful end to the crisis in Sierra Leone to help stop the suffering of the people. Mr Victor Gbeho, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, said last May's coup which overthrew the democratically-elected government of Mr Ahmad Tejan Kabbah has brought a lot of hardship to Sierra Leoneans and expressed the hope that an amicable settlement will be found soon. Mr Gbeho was opening the fourth meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Four on Sierra Leone. The Committee, set up in Conakry last June, is made up of the Foreign Ministers of Ghana, Nigeria, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire. Today's meeting which is the first to be hosted by Ghana is being attended by Chief Tom Ikimi of Nigeria, his Guinean counterpart, Mr Lamine Kamara and officials from the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Mr Amara Essy, of Cote d'Ivoire who is being represented by his country's Ambassador in Ghana, is expected to join later. Mr Gbeho asked the Committee to take its deliberations seriously because the majority of Sierra Leoneans have placed their hopes on the outcome of the meeting. ''Our task is important and urgent and all the peoples of our sub-region, especially the people of Sierra Leone, are focused on our endeavours here ... in the hope that our deliberations will bring them some relief. ''As a result of the coup, Sierra Leone has been thrown into a crisis ... l hope we will do our best to see a successful end to this crisis,'' he said. Chief Ikimi, Chairman of the Committee, said the meeting will review the assignment entrusted to the four Ministers, especially after the breakdown of the last talks in Abidjan. ''We hope that better sense will prevail for a resolution of our assignment, .....especially since it is now clear that the coup makers in Sierra Leone have no support from any country or international organization.'' The Committee's meeting in Abidjan broke down late last month when Sierra Leonean military leader, Major Johnny Paul Koroma, announced that his regime will stay in power till the year 2001. Chief Ikimi said members of the Committee will brief ECOWAS leaders on the outcome of the meeting before the start of their summit in two weeks. The meeting later went into a closed-door session. West African and other world leaders have condemned the coup and threatened to use force to oust the regime unless deposed President Kabbah is reinstated. West African leaders acting under ECOWAS have instituted a blockade of Sierra Leone in the hope of bringing down the regime.