PSC/MIN/Comm.1(LXXVII) COMMUNIQUE OF THE 77TH MEETING OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL ON THE SITUATION IN THE COMOROS The Peace and Security Council of the African Union, at its 77th meeting held on 9 May 2007, at Ministerial level, adopted the following on the Situation in the Comorian Island of Anjouan: The Council: 1. EXPRESSES CONCERN over the situation in The Comoros, notably the incidents that took place in the Comorian Island of Anjouan and the negative consequences that they could have on the national reconciliation process in The Comoros, particularly the holding of the forthcoming elections of the Presidents of the autonomous islands scheduled to take place from 10 to 24 June 2007, and FIRMLY CONDEMNS the attacks perpetrated by the Anjouanese gendarmerie against the National Comorian army, as well as acts of harassment that have been committed in the Island; 2. CALLS for the scrupulous respect of the Constitution of the Union of The Comoros and other fundamental texts governing the functioning of the Union, as well as the authority of the central government; 3. APPEALS to all the Comorian parties to refrain from any action that can aggravate the situation and compromise the holding of the elections for the Presidents of the Islands, as scheduled in the electoral calendar adopted by the National Independent Electoral Commission. Council URGES the Comorian parties to engage in constructive dialogue in order to overcome the difficulties confronting the reconciliation process; 4. WELCOMES the initiatives taken by the Chairperson of the Commission to help the Comorian parties to overcome the current crisis through, inter alia, the mission currently being undertaken in the Archipelago by the Special Envoy, Mr. Francisco Madeira. Accordingly, Council CALLS ON all the Comorian parties to fully cooperate with the Special Envoy in order to speedily resolve the current crisis within the framework of the Constitution of the Union and other fundamental texts governing its functioning and the authority of the central government; 5. AUTHORIZES the Chairperson of the Commission, in response to the request of the Comorian Government, to take the necessary steps to provide the security assistance needed to facilitate the smooth running of the elections of the Presidents of the autonomous islands. In this regard, Council TAKES NOTE of the recommendations of the two joint missions by the African Union and South Africa (in its capacity as coordinator of the regional efforts on The