by David Latona and Andrew Gray
TOLEDO, Spain (Reuters) – The European Union “rejects any takeover by force in Gabon” even though the electoral process in the country has been marred by irregularities, the spokesman for European diplomacy said on Thursday. Josep Borrell, following a meeting in Toledo of the Foreign Ministers of the Twenty-Seven.
Soldiers announced on Wednesday that they had seized power in Libreville and placed President Ali Bongo under house arrest, moments after the announcement of his re-election for a third term.
If “the EU shares the serious concerns about the way the electoral process, which preceded the military coup, was organized and took place”, declared Josep Borrell, “an inclusive and substantial dialogue ensuring that the State rule of law and human rights are respected, not force, are the way to ensure that the will, as expressed by the Gabonese people, is respected,” he said.
“The challenges facing Gabon must be resolved by respecting the principles of the rule of law, constitutional order and democracy. The country’s peace and prosperity, as well as regional stability, depend on it” , stressed the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
In front of the press at the start of the day, Josep Borrell had estimated that the presidential election last Saturday in Gabon had been marred by irregularities.
“There are military coups and institutional coups that do not require the use of arms,” he noted.
Gabon’s main opposition alliance on Thursday called on the junta to bring the electoral process to a conclusion by completing the counting of the ballots.
Prior to the Toledo meeting, Josep Borrell said the EU was “making progress” in developing a legal framework surrounding sanctions against the military junta that took power in Niger, and that ministers would discuss it on Thursday.
Although the EU and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had already imposed economic and political sanctions after the July 26 coup in Niamey, the establishment of a legal framework would allow the EU to target individuals and organisations.
(Report David Latona and Andrew Gray; French version Camille Raynaud and Jean-Stéphane Brosse)
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