Nigeria-Cameroon border 'progress'

By Imogen Foulkes
In Berne

The Presidents of Cameroon and Nigeria have agreed to introduce joint security patrols in a disputed border region and say they will consider signing a friendship and non-aggression treaty.

Paul Biya of Cameroon and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria met with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in Geneva in an attempt to resolve a long-running territorial disagreement between their two countries.

But while the meeting was friendly, the two countries still do not agree on who should control the oil-rich Bakassi peninsula.

Presidents Biya and Obasanjo say the meeting in Geneva brings their countries a step closer to normal relations.

They have agreed to exchange ambassadors and open consulates and to carry out joint security patrols in their disputed border regions.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled on the land and sea borders between the two countries in 2002.

Now the United Nations is trying to help Cameroon and Nigeria implement the ruling.

Last month Nigeria turned over 32 villages to Cameroon, but the sticking point is the oil-rich Bakassi peninsula.

Nigeria does not accept the court ruling awarding the peninsula to Cameroon and the meeting in Geneva did not solve this question.

But Mr Annan and the two leaders say they did make significant progress and they are determined to solve their differences in a peaceful manner, they say, and they plan to meet again very soon.