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Security Council members back regional force for Central African Republic

Security Council members back regional force for Central African Republic

Members of the United Nations Security Council today voiced support for the deployment of a regional force to the Central African Republic (CAR), and urged the country, along with Chad, to exercise restraint.

In a statement to the press, the Council President, Ambassador Wang Yingfan of China, said the plan for the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) force should reflect recently changed circumstances.

The members also called on the international community to provide the necessary logistic and financial support for the force, the President said, and reaffirmed their support for the peace effort by the UN and CEMAC.

Members of the Council appealed to the CAR and Chad to show mutual restraint and to refrain from "any action or statement that could further destabilize the situation," Ambassador Wang said. The two States were encouraged to reactivate the bilateral cooperation structures existing between them.

Both sides were also called on to ensure respect for human rights and the principles of international humanitarian law, according to the President.

Members of the Council also welcomed CAR President Ange-Felix Patassé's recent offer to enter into dialogue with the country's various political parties "and encouraged him to do so as soon as possible with a view to promoting national reconciliation," Ambassador Wang said.

During their closed-door meeting on the CAR, Council members were briefed by the Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Tuliameni Kalomoh, on the latest developments.