STATEMENT BY JAMES B. FOLEY, DEPUTY SPOKESMAN
SIERRA LEONE: UNITED STATES POLICY
The United States reiterates its condemnation of the seizure of power by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and calls once again for the prompt restoration of the democratically elected government of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. We admire the commitment of the Sierra Leone people to democracy and deplore the abuses of the junta.
We appreciate and support the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to restore President Kabbah and salute in particular the mediation efforts of Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Liberia in this regard. In aid of ECOWAS efforts, the United States fully supports a United Nations Security Council resolution to impose sanctions against the illegal junta in Freetown.
Once again the United States calls upon the AFRC/RUF to honor the commitment it made to ECOWAS at Abidjan on July 19 by entering into vigorous negotiations on the prompt restoration of the constitutional government. We are deeply concerned that if negotiations do not succeed rapidly, force may be used instead.