BEIRUT, Oct 20: Leaders of French-speaking nations ended a three- day summit on Sunday with a call for an “essential” United Nations role to end the Iraq crisis, denouncing terrorism and condemning a rebellion that has divided the Ivory Coast.

The heads of state of the 56-nation Francophone organization (OIF) unanimously adopted a “Beirut Declaration” that stressed the essential role of the UN nations in solving Iraq’s weapons programmes.

French President Jacques Chirac had joined Arab leaders at the opening session of the summit on Friday urging a resolution of the Iraq crisis through the UN without the use of force.

The Francophone leaders also condemned a rebellion which has divided the Ivory Coast, a member of the francophone group.

“We call on the entire political class and the people of Ivory Coast to show restraint, refrain from resorting to violence and preserve the lives of the people and property,” the statement said.

“We back efforts particularly by ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), towards dialogue, the only path for a lasting reconciliation,” the declaration said.

The declaration also mandated Abdou Diouf of Senegal, who was formally elected as the new OIF secretary general, to follow and pursue action in support of ongoing mediation efforts.

Francophone leaders also denounced terrorism throughout the world and called for “united cooperation between states and governments to join as soon as possible all anti-terrorism international conventions”.

Delegates stressed that measures adopted “to combat terrorism should respect the UN charters fundamental principles and the international instruments related to human rights, humanitarian rights and refugee rights.”—dpa