Unofficial translation from Russian

PRESS RELEASE

According to incoming reports, the military-political situation has again become sharply exacerbated in Liberia in the last few days. Fresh clashes have broken out between government forces and armed opposition units, including in the Monrovia capital. The truce, signed by the conflicting parties on June 17, 2003, has thus been wrecked.

Russia speaks out in favor of the speediest return to normalcy in Liberia and advancement of the peace process. This would help overcome the long-standing internal crisis in the country and would facilitate the creation of conditions for remedying the complicated humanitarian situation and improvement of the political climate in the West Africa sub-region as a whole.

June 27, 2003