YAOUNDE, June 13 (Xinhua) -- A European Union (EU) official on Thursday praised efforts by the Cameroonian government to initiate dialogue to end the conflict in the country's troubled English-speaking regions.
"We welcome the statement by President (Paul) Biya and the declaration that the Prime Minister (Joseph Dion Ngute) made in the regions showing opening for dialogue," said Gerardus Gielen, head of the European External Action Service Central African Division.
"We welcome that and encourage all actors involved in the situation to participate and contribute to negotiated solutions that can bring back peace and prosperity," he said in Yaounde after meeting with the speaker of Cameroon's National Assembly.
The EU is ready to help Cameroon in its peace efforts in the regions, Gielen said.
In April, Cameroonian prime minister Ngute said the government is willing to have dialogue with armed separatist on all demands excluding separation.
The EU has repeatedly accused Cameroon of "lacking the will" to solve the conflict in anglophone regions of Northwest and Southwest, where armed separatists have declared "independence" from the majority French-speaking country.
According to the United Nations, more than 430,000 people have been displaced internally by the conflict.
