Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ABIDJAN928
2006-08-18 17:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abidjan
Cable title:  

COTE D'IVOIRE: NEW FORCES AND POLITICAL

Tags:  PGOV PREL KPKO ASEC IV 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHAB #0928 2301709
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 181709Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1797
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 000928 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO ASEC IV
SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: NEW FORCES AND POLITICAL
OPPOSITION UNITE AGAINST GBAGBO

REF: ABIDJAN 922

Classified By: Poloff Phaedra Gwyn for reasons
1.4 b&d

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 000928

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO ASEC IV
SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: NEW FORCES AND POLITICAL
OPPOSITION UNITE AGAINST GBAGBO

REF: ABIDJAN 922

Classified By: Poloff Phaedra Gwyn for reasons
1.4 b&d


1. (U) On August 17, leaders of the political opposition
and the rebel New Forces (FN) met in Daoukro (home of
ex-president Bedie) to consult on the current political
situation. All the major party leaders were present:
ex-president Henri Konan Bedie, leader of the PDCI
(Democratic Party of Cote d ,Ivoire); ex-prime minister
Alassane Ouattara, leader of the RDR (Rally of Democratic
Republicans),Guillaume Soro, leader of the FN; Mabri
Toikeusse, leader of the UDPCI (Union for Democracy and
Peace in Cote d'Ivoire); and Anaky Kobenan, leader of the
MFA(Movement of Forces of the Future). After the four-hour
meeting, the leaders released a communiqu, outlining their
position.


2. (SBU) The opposition leaders condemned President Gbagbo
as solely responsible for the current deadlock in the peace
process, and rejected any extension of his term in office
beyond October 31. They rejected the new procedures
announced by Prime Minister Banny for the mobile courts
(audiences foraines -- AF) seeking to register undocumented
Ivoirians and foreigners and jointly endorsed the ultimatum
issued August 14 by the RHDP (Rally of Houphouetists for
Democracy and Peace),the grouping of the parties of four out
of the five leaders represented at this meeting, that Banny
must rescind these new procedures within eight days. They
rejected both the assertion by President Gbagbo and his FPI
(Ivoirian Popular Front) party that the INS (National
Statistical Institute) should be in charge of preparing the
voter registration list, and Prime Minister Banny's plan to
put one operator in charge of preparing both the national
identification list and the voter registration list. They
noted that they had sent letters of protest to South African
President Mbeki on both of these issues. They declared that
they would only accept an electoral list approved by the
Independent Electoral Commission (CEI). They condemned the
pro-FPI bias of the media and called on Prime Minister Banny
to correct it. They called for sanctions against FPI leader
Affi Nguessan for blocking the peace process, and they
called for a resumption of Disarmament, Demobilization and
Reintegration (DDR) and military-to-military dialogue "within
a new framework." They took the international community to
task for not speaking with one voice and for remaining silent
in the face of President Gbagbo's actions to defy it.


3. (C) Comment: This is the most comprehensive agreement we
have seen among all of these major opposition leaders. In
the past, and in particular last year as October approached,
the political opposition and the FN have preferred to remain
slightly aloof from each other and stake out their own
ground, on most issues taking similar but not always
identical positions. For example, up to now the FN had not
endorsed the RHDP's ultimatum to Prime Minister Banny on the
AF's, and the RHDP had not spoken out in favor of the FN's
proposed "new framework" for DDR and military-to-military
talks. Clearly they are hoping that a united opposition
front will increase their leverage, and in particular will
make it more difficult for the international community to
endorse another extension of President Gbagbo's term in
office. Perhaps they might also be preparing the ground to
propose a consensus opposition candidate to replace Banny as
Prime Minister. In any case, they have little real leverage
on any of these issues. End Comment.
Hooks