Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ABIDJAN1237
2006-11-07 14:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abidjan
Cable title:  

PRESIDENT GBAGBO: FULLY COMMITTED TO ELECTIONS

Tags:  PGOV PREL IV 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO1985
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHAB #1237 3111401
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 071401Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2126
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 001237 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL IV
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT GBAGBO: FULLY COMMITTED TO ELECTIONS


Classified By: AMBASSADOR AUBREY HOOKS FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D.

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 001237

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL IV
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT GBAGBO: FULLY COMMITTED TO ELECTIONS


Classified By: AMBASSADOR AUBREY HOOKS FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D.


1. (C) President Gbagbo invited the Ambassador on November 6
to the Presidential Residence to express appreciation for the
support of the United States in protecting the Constitution
of Cote d'Ivoire during the negotiation of Resolution 1721 in
the UN Security Council. President Gbagbo also said he
wanted to reassure the United States that elections will be
held in 2007 and that he is fully supportive of the elections
process. The Ambassador stated that the USG was firmly of
the view that elections should take place in 2007 in Cote
d'Ivoire. The timetable for elections is fairly tight and
assumes that there will be political will to move forward.
The Ambassador noted that all of the Ivorian parties,
including the President and his FPI supporters, shared
responsibility for blocking the political process during the
course of this past year. Delays at any stage of the
identification and voter registration processes will put in
jeopardy the October 2007 date for elections. President
Gbagbo assured the Ambassador that he would work to move both
the identification and voter processes forward as quickly as
possible. COMMENT: The Presidency had assembled a sizeable
press contingent to meet the Ambassador as he came out of the
meeting with President Gbagbo. The Ambassador's comments
that the position of the United States in the UNSC debate on
Resolution 1721 was based on respect for the Constitution
made the November 7 headlines of several newspapers
supportive of President Gbagbo. END COMMENT.


2. (C) President Gbagbo later in the day convoked a meeting
of all Ambassadors to emphasize that elections must be held
in 2007. President Gbagbo informed the assembled Ambassadors
that he would be meeting with all elements of society
(traditional chiefs, youth, women, foreign communities, etc)
to hear their views on moving the election process forward.
When subsequently asked how Prime Minister Banny, who is
heading up a national dialog on similar issues, fits into his
consultations, President Gbagbo brushed the question aside by
stating that he had no problem with the Prime Minister. In
response to another question about forming a new government,
President Gbagbo also sidestepped the issue by declaring that
the government was not his primary concern for now.


3. (C) COMMENT: President Gbagbo is trying to drive the
political process in the wake of Resolution 1721. His
televised address to the nation on November 2 was the first
step. His meetings with civil society will maintain his
momentum. His efforts to upstage Prime Minister Banny are
deliberate. It remains to be seen how far he is prepared to
go to keep himself in the driver's seat.
Hooks