UN Security Council to meet on Guinea-Bissau

Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (PANA) - The UN Security Council will Wednesday meet in New York to discuss the difficult situation Guinea-Bissau is facing, a diplomatic source told PANA.
"Guinea-Bissau's difficult political, economic and social situation constitutes a main cause for concern among the international community," the diplomat, who requested anonymity, said.

During the meeting, the UN will not, however, place blame on any party but will simply make recommendations in order to ease the tension between local political actors.

The UN may also request the international community to financially help the country get out of its current misery and support it in the holding of early parliamentary elections slated for 20 April.

The special representative of the UN secretary general to Guinea-Bissau, David Stephens, left Bissau Saturday for New York to participate in the meeting, which some Bissau-based diplomats described as crucial.

On the eve of his departure for the UN, Stephens appealed to the international community for an emergency economic and financial aid to Guinea-Bissau which, according to him, was going through "its worst situation of the past few years."

He urged the backers to help Guinea-Bissau from sinking into chaos, describing the situation in the West African State as "volatile" and very "uncertain."

In addition, the UN diplomat said it was practically impossible to organise the poll by April in view of the delay noted in ballot preparations.

But the regime of President Kumba Yala persists in holding them on 20 April as scheduled, he added.