The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting late Sunday on
the deteriorating situation in Chad but failed to agree on a
France-sponsored draft statement.
The emergency session, which began late Sunday afternoon and
lasted for more than three hours, was called for by France and the
three African members of the council -- South Africa, Burkina Faso
and Libya.
Besides the draft text, the council also considered a letter
from the government of Chad to request assistance from all UN
member states.
"We have had a very good spirit of cooperation," France's UN
ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert told reporters after the
meeting.
"We want the Security Council to react as soon as possible,
first of all, by supporting the decision of the African Union to
mandate colonel Gaddafi (of Libya) and the President of the
Republic of Congo to try to put an end to the fighting," Ripert
said.
Ripert noted that the draft also urged the council to condemn
attacks on the capital N'djamena by rebels and condemn any attempt
to seize power by force in Chad.
There was "almost a consensus" among council members, Ripert
added.
Panama's UN ambassador Ricardo Alberto Arias, the council's
president for this month, told reporters that the council is to
meet again on Monday to try to reach an agreement.
Earlier in the day, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for
an immediate end to the fighting in Chad.
The secretary-general "is profoundly alarmed by the dangerous
situation in Chad," said a statement issued by Ban's press
office.
"The secretary-general further calls on all parties to
immediately cease hostilities and engage in dialogue so as to
prevent further bloodshed," it said.
(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2008)
