Nigeria, Cameroun May Meet UN Over Bakassi
FROM EMMANEUL ONWUBIKO, ABUJA
AT the level of the Nigeria-Cameroun Mixed Commission, the transfer of Bakassi to Cameroun appears foreclosed.
After a stormy session in Abuja yesterday, the commission concluded that only President Olusegun Obasanjo and his Camerounian counterpart Paul Biya in consultation with the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan could resolve the impasse.
In a statement after the meeting, the commission said: "The issue of the modalities of withdrawal and transfer of authority in the Bakassi Peninsula as earlier agreed was discussed. After deliberation on this issue and as a result of divergence of views, the mixed commission decided to refer the matter to the heads of state of Cameroun and Nigeria, and the UN Secretary-General."
The body subsequently fixed its next meeting for Yaounde from December 7 to December 9.
The commission was formed on November 15, 2002 in Geneva at a parley between Obasanjo and Biya at the behest of Ahmaodu Ould Abdallah, an aide to the UN scribe.
Nigeria, under an aborted timetable, was expected to withdraw its military and civil administration from Bakassi on September 15, 2004.
Abdallah said though the commission was aware of the resolution of the National Assembly rejecting the handover of Bakassi to Cameroun, international laws far superseded local legislation and urged Nigeria to comply with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on the dispute over Bakassi.
The UN envoy said the meeting considered and adopted the second quarterly report of its Observer Personnel, following its field visit to Lake Chad area from September10 to September 12, 2004
He expressed satisfaction with the general peaceful relations prevailing between the population and the new authorities in the area.
Issues relating to property rights and national forms of identification also engaged the attention of the commission, which called for social services such as health and education in the area.
The statement explained that the body was updated on issues relating to the demarcation of borders, expressing concern over delays in the process.
But it lauded the progress in the acquisition of the preliminary image maps, the setting up of cartographic specifications and standards, the appointment of technical personnel as well as the availability of the image mapping on a sheet-by-sheet basis progressively along the boundary, which are all activities currently underway.
On confidence-building measures, the statement explained that a team recently visited Cameroun and Nigeria to assess the progress and needs in confidence-building activities. The team met with representatives of UN development and humanitarian agencies and programmes and of bilateral and multilateral donors.
A representative of the African Development Bank (ADB) provided an update on the Enugu Abakiliki Mamfe-Mutengene cross-border road project for which construction work is expected to start in mid-2005.
The commission urged the two countries to expedite their respective government's requests for funding assistance. The Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) also provided an update on the preparation for the upcoming conference on the Lake Chad, it said.
Abdallah told the participants that pursuant to the decision taken at the 11th session of the commission, he had received from each party a proposal containing the methodology for the implementation of the ICJ judgement, including a map incorporating the delineation of the martime boundary, as delimited by the court in its decision of October 10, 2002. He said he had forwarded each party's submission to the other and awaits their respective reaction by November 15, 2004.
The cameroonian team left Abuja yesterday night, led by the country's Minister of State for Justice Mr. Amaodu Ali.
The Nigerian group is headed by former Justice Minister, Prince Bola Ajibola.
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