THIS WAS CULLED FROM THE DAILY OBSERVER.
                 Monday, October 2, 2000
                      FOLLOWING GAMBIA'S
                    WITHDRAWAL WADE OPTS
                    FOR DIRECT TALKS WITH
                                  MFDC

                 Following the announcement of The Gambia's withdrawal from
                 the Casamance peace process, Senegalese president,
Abdoulaye
                 Wade, has decided to talk directly with the Movement des
Forces
                 Démocratiques de la Casamance (MFDC), in the search for a
                 solution to the Casamance crisis.

                 This declaration was made Thursday, by the Senegalese
minister
                 of Urban Development and Housing, Amath Dansokho, who was
                 acting on behalf of his colleague, the minister of
Communications
                 and Culture, Mamadou Diop Decroix, the government
spokesman.

                 Mr Dansokho said President Wade "will continue the work
that he
                 had started, which consists of looking for a peaceful
solution to
                 this crisis that is shaking the very foundations of the
southern
                 region of Senegal. All of us, members of the cabinet,
believe that
                 we have taken the right decision that will lead us to a
peaceful
                 solution."

                 Mr Dansokho further stated that President Wade has put
things
                 under his control "because for a long time now, certain
people
                 have involved themselves in the search for solutions. But
they
                 have done nothing but further complicate the situation.
That is the
                 reason why the president has decided to talk directly with
the
                 MFDC.

                 This, he will do without the help of any of Senegal's
neighbouring
                 counties or any person of goodwill." He revealed that
President
                 Wade has not said anything concerning the eventual
re-invitation
                 of The Gambia, as a peace-broker. But "the president
reaffirmed
                 Senegal's will to foster understanding between the two
countries."








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