§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will propose to the Security Council of the United Nations that the Conakry Accord of 23 October between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Committee of Five and the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) regime in Sierra Leone be endorsed.
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanI refer the noble Lord to the statement issued by the President of the Security Council on 14 November 1997. This statement makes clear that the Security Council welcomes the Conakry Communiqué of 23 October 1997 and gives its full support to ECOWAS' efforts to seek a peaceful settlement.
§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will propose to the Security Council of the United Nations that the Nigerian troops in Sierra Leone be replaced by a multinational force made up of troops from other ECOWAS states.
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanIt is for ECOWAS to decide the composition of the ECOMOG forces in Sierra Leone. A United Nations assessment 99WA team is currently visiting Conakry and Monrovia, and is considering what support the United Nations should offer ECOWAS.
§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will propose to the Security Council of the United Nations that the United Nations Secretary-General, in consultation with ECOWAS and the OAU, should facilitate the convening of a national conference in Sierra Leone to decide the structure and composition of the transitional government which is to replace the AFRC at the end of the six-month period agreed under the Conakry Accord.
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanNo. The Conakry Communique, which was signed by ECOWAS and the AFRC and is supported by the UN Security Council, provides for the restoration of the democratically elected government of Sierra Leone by 22 April 1998, not a transitional government.