Military

DATE=11/09/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-269052

TITLE=SIERRA LEONE / REBELS (L-O UPDATE)

BYLINE=LUIS RAMIREZ

DATELINE=ABIDJAN

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

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TEXT AND VOICED VERSION ARE UNCHANGED ///

INTRO: Sierra Leone's government and the country's main rebel group, the Revolutionary United Front (R-U-F) have delayed, until Friday, a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria. The delay came after rebel representatives failed to arrive in Abuja on time. V-O-A's Luis Ramirez reports the talks are aimed at getting both sides to abide by an existing peace accord.

TEXT: The agreement signed by both sides in Lome', Togo, in July of 1999, called for the rebels and pro-government militias to turn in their weapons. The government promised an amnesty for rebels, following eight-years of civil war.

But in March U-N efforts to disarm the rebels in accordance with the Lome' agreement resulted in more fighting and the kidnapping of hundreds of U-N peacekeepers.

Sierra Leonean Information Minister Julius Spencer tells V-O-A the gathering in Abuja (Thursday) is another attempt to get the rebels to comply with the terms of the accord.

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As far as the Sierra Leonean government is concerned, we are focusing on disarmament and the cessation of hostilities. We are not going to abandon the peaceful option. Indeed, of course, the RU-F has demonstrated in the past that they are not sincere, but we wish to keep the door open for dialogue and that is what we are doing by attending the talks.

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Rebels are expected to demand the release of detained leader Foday Sankoh and others who have been held following the outbreak of the new skirmishes earlier this year.

The meeting, sponsored by the regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is the first between the RUF and the government since Issa Sesay took the helm of the RUF following Mr. Sankoh's arrest in May. (SIGNED)

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