AFRICAN UNION MEMBER STATES URGED TO PAY
	Intervening at a three-day 75th Ordinary Session of Council of Ministers of the African Union (AU) which ended in Addis Ababa this March 15, Lesotho Minister of Foreign Affairs, Motsoahae Thabane urged all Member States who are in arrears of contributions to honour their financial obligations. He recognised that poverty should not be regarded an impediment to pay, since some Member States including Lesotho are poor, but honour their obligations to pay contributions. Commenting on the recent general elections in Zimbabwe, Minister Thabane applauded those who have won and encouraged those who have lost them to abide by the results, bearing in mind that, most observers have declared them transparent. Regarding the situation in Madagascar, he expressed support to the AU mechanism employed to bring about a solution to the political impasse in the island. Further, Minister Thabane grabbed the opportunity to brief the AU Secretary-General, Amara Essy, on the process of the Lesotho year 2002 general elections. He pointed out that, Government of Lesotho has taken a deliberate decision to celebrate Africa Day by going for the elections on 25 May 2002, inviting the AU to observe the elections. On the Afro-Arab cooperation, he lamented the fact that, not much has been exhaustively utilised; adding that, if properly planned, the rich Arab partners of the AU may even be able to help finance the New Partnership for the Development of Africa (NEPAD). Regarding the Europe-Africa Summit, he expressed disappointment that, much has not been achieved so far; hoping that, in the future, there will be progress; saying, " I am dismayed at the exclusion of the Saharawi Republic, member of the AU in the negotiations, exclusion which has actually been imposed on Africa by their European counterparts...". Further, he saluted the Republic of South Africa and the neighbouring states for all the efforts which have led to the current resolution of the conflict in the Comoros which is now looking forward to presidential elections this April. On the Treaty of Pelindaba, Thabane remarked that, through it, Africa has contributed to the maintenance of international peace and security and has strengthened the nuclear non-proliferation regime. He deposited two instruments of ratification to the AU Convention and Combating of Terrorism as well as the Africa Nuclear-Weapon Free Zone Treaty (the Treaty of Pelindaba). Further, the statement elaborated to Secretary-General Essy that, Lesotho is committed to playing a role in conjunction with other countries in preventing and combating terrorism. "The historical fact that Africa has long been seized with the scare of terrorist activities hence the early responsive mechanism put in place by the AU through its resolution since 1992, which urged Member States not to allow their territories to be used as springboards for terrorist attacks on others...", it added". In response, Secretary-General Essy congratulated the Government and people of Lesotho for demonstrating a firm resolve towards a terrorism and nuclear free Africa. He informed Minister Thabane that Lesotho is the 10th country to ratify the Anti-Terrorism Convention and the 16th to the Pelindaba Treaty; underlining the importance of the Treaty as a mechanism for the protection of the African states against possible nuclear attacks, instead, nuclear energy should be used for peaceful purposes.
	SOURCE: THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MASERU - 18/03/2002