US closely following central African republic deliberations

The United States said Wednesday that it is “closely following” the deliberations of the Central African Republic’s (CAR’s) Transitional National Council as it attempts to select a new president and prime minister. “We urge that the selection process be transparent, include a full range of political, religious, and civil society representatives, and be consistent with provisions of the Transitional Charter and the Libreville Agreements, which call for the prime minister to come from the democratic opposition,” State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said in a statement. “The Council has an historic opportunity to put the country on a path toward stability, democracy, and development, and we encourage the Council to seize this opportunity by selecting leaders of integrity who can restore stability to the Central African Republic (CAR), prepare for credible elections as soon as possible, but no later than February 2015, and earn the confidence of the international community,” Harf said. “The United States commends the leadership of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) in facilitating the political transition process in the CAR and remains deeply committed to working with ECCAS, the African Union, the U.N., and representatives of civil society to support the political transition process,” Harf said.