COTE D'IVOIRE: UN INVESTIGATION INTO ATTACK ON PM

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 001033 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W-PLUMB; ALSO FOR IO LONDON FOR RBELL PARIS FOR RKANEDA E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV UN IV SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: UN INVESTIGATION INTO ATTACK ON PM SORO'S PLANE NOT A GIVEN Classified By: DCM CYNTHIA AKUETTEH FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) AND (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. A four-member UN team is visiting Cote d,Ivoire in response to President Gbagbo,s request to the Secretary General for an independent investigation into the SIPDIS June 29 attack on Prime Minister Soro,s plane in Bouake. The team, headed by Terseli Loial, is spending a week in country meeting with a full range of individuals. Contrary to press reporting, the UN has not agreed to undertake an investigation and there are several reasons why it may decide not to do so. End Summary. ¶2. (C) DCM, accompanied by Defense Attache and Political/Economic Section Chief, met October 2, at their request, with a UN team visiting Cote d'Ivoire to clarify President,s Gbabbo,s request for the UN Secretary General to investigate the June 29 attack on the Prime Minister's plane. The team said the UN can respond in different ways to the government's request: the UN could set up an international commission to conduct a judicial investigation; the UN could establish a fact finding commission; or the UN could merely provide support to the national invstigation already underway. The team remarked tat they have advised Ivorian officials that UN Scurity Council approval is needed to conduct an nvestigation and that some Security Council membe states have indicated they may not approve the equest. ¶3. The team informed Ivorian officials hat any commission established would have to opeate within Cote d,Ivoire,s legal system and thatits conclusions would need to be followed up accoding to local law, including prosecution of persns identified as suspects. The team noted that an investigation into the attack on the Prime Miniser's plane is an internal political matter and lcks the international aspect of other UN investigtions, such as the assassination of Lebanese Prie Minister Rafik Hariri. ¶4. (C) Team members sid that Prime Minister Guillaume Soro told them ctober 1 that having the UN conduct an investigaion is important because its results will be viewed as impartial while the objectivity of an investiation conducted by the Ivorian Government will b questioned. The team stated that Soro told the the attack has fostered a lack of confidence inthe peace process among Ivorians and a UN investiation could restore faith in the process as wellas address the culture of impunity that exists in the country. According to the team, Soro said a genocide would have occurred if he had been killed in the attack. ¶3. (C) The team told DCM that Minister of Justice Mamadou Kone (who is a member of Prime Minister Soro's Forces Nouvelles) informed them October 2 that only if creation of a UN commission is impossible can other options be considered. The team said Kone told them that the President has the legal ability to waive any legal impediments that may exist for the commission to carry out its investigation and that the Justice Ministry will examine the Constitution to determine if any provisions would hinder the work of an international commission. ¶4. (C) Comment: An investigation into the attack on the Prime Minister's plane is a double-edged sword. If a perpetrator(s) not affiliated with President Gbagbo,s is identified, this could dissipate the mistrust that exists between Soro's camp and that of the President. However, if an investigation points to someone in the Gbagbo camp, any remaining trust between Soro and Gbagbo would likely evaporate and the Ouagadougou Political Accord (OPA) would face the same fate as other unfulfilled peace accords. End Comment. NESBITT