Prime Minister Meles Zenawi who attended the joint meeting underlined that the Security Council of the United Nation that has the primary responsibility of ensuring peace and security has been involved in the efforts of resolving conflicts that successively erupted in Africa.

Meles further said that Africa has played its role in preventing conflicts and finding solutions to conflicts that occurred.

The Premier also called on the United Nations to provide assistance to peace keeping missions of the African Union.

Meles expressed beliefs that the efforts the Au is making to bring about peace and stability in Somalia would bear fruit with the support of the UN.

Addressing the meeting UN Secretary General Ban Ki moon said that due attention has been attached to issues of peace and security in Africa.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has proposed setting up a UN-AU panel to study ways for both sides to meet the challenges in Africa.

Thabo Mbeki President of South Africa, current chair of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, pointed out that the AU has established an organizational structure to deal with conflicts in Africa, but it was lacking the means to operate.

The council meeting at UN headquarters brought together the presidents of South Africa, Somalia, Ivory Coast and Tanzania, the Prime Ministers of Ethiopia, Britain and Italy, and about a dozen of foreign ministers, deputy foreign ministers.

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