FRANCE AND AFRICANS PRESS FOR EARLY ADOPTION OF A

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 002049 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL UNSC IV SUBJECT: FRANCE AND AFRICANS PRESS FOR EARLY ADOPTION OF A COTE D'IVOIRE RESOLUTION ¶1. Summary: During Security Council consultations on October 25, France, with support from African members, introduced a wide-ranging draft resolution on Cote d'Ivoire. Departing from last year's practice when the Council endorsed an AU decision to extend the transition period, this draft resolution augments the AU decision with additional determinations of the Council in an effort to strengthen the powers of Prime Minister Banny. The U.S. has raised a number of concerns with the text. France and African members appear determined to put the resolution to vote on October 31 (next Tuesday) even if these concerns are not all resolved. End Summary. ¶2. AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Djinnit and Ivorian Foreign Minister Bakayoko addressed the Security Council on Cote d'Ivoire before the Council went into consultations. Neither spoke directly to the contents of the draft resolution, but Djinnit, in summarizing the October 17 AU PSC communiqu on Cote d'Ivoire, stressed that PSC members attached special importance to providing the Prime Minister with the powers and resources he needed to carry out his mandated tasks. ¶3. SRSG Schori and High Representative for Elections Stoudemann then briefed the Council in closed consultations. Both reviewed in detail the many obstacles that have stymied the roadmap in recent months. Both emphasized the importance of having a credible sanctions regime. Both also recommended Council action going beyond endorsement of the AU communiqu. ¶4. In introducing the draft resolution, French PermRep de La Sabliere stated that the document was drafted in close consultation with African members of the Security Council and was supported by AU and ECOWAS leaders. Their common goal, he said, was to shape a resolution that would build on the decisions of ECOWAS and the AU to eliminate ambiguities and provide clarity needed for Prime Minister Banny to implement the peace process. He said that the resolution must be adopted by October 31. ¶5. The African Members confirmed their active involvement and full support for the French draft. Congo PermRep Ikouebe said Africans were counting on the Security Council to provide clear and precise guidance on the powers of the Prime Minister and other key issues in order to break the deadlock in Cote d'Ivoire. Ghana PermRep Effah-Apenteng said Council action that avoided "creative ambiguities" was crucial. Tanzanian Deputy PermRep Manongi likewise expressed full backing of the French text. ¶6. In negotiating the draft resolution from October 25 to 27, the U.S. raised a variety of objections to having the Council directly micromanage governance arrangements in a sovereign state. China and Russia supported the U.S. alternative of endorsing the contents of the AU communique. All others, however, appeared to favor the more wide-ranging and intrusive French-African approach. The French and African negotiators have shown some willingness to compromise on the text, but also have made quite clear their belief that the resolution must address a number of specific issues that clarify the AU communique if the peace process is to have a chance of success. The French have said they intend to put the resolution to a vote on October 31. BOLTON