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U.S. Department of State Office of the Spokesman Press Statement

Press Statement by James P. Rubin, Spokesman
December 18, 1998

Guinea--Presidential Elections

On December 14, the people of Guinea voted in their second multi-party election for President. This election was significantly more transparent and fair than previous elections, and represents an important step forward in reform efforts. We congratulate the Government and the people of Guinea for demonstrating their commitment to a credibly free, fair, and transparent election.

We commend in particular the political parties that contested the election for translating the hopes and wishes of their constituents into concrete platforms that provided electoral alternatives to the voters of Guinea. We call on all sides to maintain civic discipline and a commitment to non-violence and the rule of law that generally characterized the campaign and polling on December 14. In particular we strongly urge the Government, in the spirit of goodwill and fairness, to release Mr. Alpha Conde, one of the main opposition leaders arrested immediately after the election on charges of illegally attempting to cross the border.

We believe that the real winners in this election are the Guinean people, who generally demonstrated tolerance, equanimity, and a sense of fair play that will be key to the continued development of democracy in Guinea.

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