COTE D'IVOIRE: UNOCI A/SRSG ANALYZES POLITICAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 000832

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W-EPLUMB AND INR/AA-BGRAVES

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM IV
SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: UNOCI A/SRSG ANALYZES POLITICAL
SCENE


Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES, A.I. VICKI HUDDLESTON FOR REASONS 1.4
(B) AND (D).


1. (C) Summary. Acting United Nations Operation in Cote
d'Ivoire (UNOCI) Special Representative of the Secretary
General (SRSG) Abou Moussa underscored to Charge d'Affaires
and Poloff August 9 the importance of the "balance" that the
U.S. provides on the Ivorian political scene. Moussa said
UNOCI is attempting to determine how it will "support" the
Ouagadougou Political Accord (OPA) implementation and
"assist" the OPA facilitator as directed by UN Security
Council resolution 1765. Moussa stated that the UN is not
authorized to take the actions necessary to reach the OPA
benchmarks, but can only state if the process is being
carried out properly. Moussa expressed concern that the
Ivorian Government may take "shortcuts" to accomplish these
benchmarks and that the political opposition is not fully
engaged in OPA implementation. According to Moussa, for
technical reasons, elections cannot take place before March

2008. End Summary.


2. (C) Acting UNOCI SRSG Abou Moussa told Charge and Poloff
August 9 that the "balance" the United States is viewed as
providing on the Ivorian political scene is important in this
"complex environment." Moussa noted that the international
community has been actively seeking a solution to Cote
d'Ivoire's political impasse for some time without any
success. He explained that the UN was not involved in the
negotiation of the OPA, although it was consulted by the
facilitator, Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, because
President Gbagbo and Prime Minister Soro wanted it to be an
Ivorian process. Moussa said UNOCI is trying to define UN
Security Council 1765 instruction that UNOCI should provide
"support" to the OPA's implementation and "assistance" to OPA
facilitator and Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore.


3. (C) Moussa told the Charge that the key issues that have
to be resolved to fully implement the OPA, such as
disarmament and integration of the armed forces, have not yet
occurred. He noted that UN Security Council resolutions
regarding Cote d'Ivoire do not give the UN the power to
effect these benchmarks, but only provide for the UN to state
if the process is carried out correctly. Moussa expressed
concern that the Ivorian Government will seek "shortcuts" to
accomplish these goals and not conduct them properly. Moussa
said that, for technical reasons, elections cannot take place
before March 2008. He said President Gbagbo knows that
elections cannot be held in December 2007, but called for
them in his August 6 speech to counter allegations that he
does not support the holding of elections. According to
Moussa, Prime Minister Soro's independence has been reduced
since he assumed that office because he cannot take any
action that Gbagbo disapproves of since Gbagbo must sign all
decrees. Soro may also have lost support in the north because
he has not delivered on the identity cards.


4. (C) Moussa expressed concern that the political opposition
is not fully engaged in the peace process. He stated that the
opposition political parties do not engage in public
constructive criticism of the government, but expect the
international community to do so for them. Moussa suggested
that "key" Embassies should encourage the government and the
opposition to engage in dialogue regarding implementation of
the OPA. He noted that the opposition utilizes the OPA's
Permanent Framework for Consultation (CPC) to raise issues
that Gbagbo, Soro, and Compaore view as already decided by
the OPA. Moussa added that opposition political party
leaders are angry at the international community because a UN
Security Council delegation that traveled to Cote d'Ivoire in
June 2007 did not meet with them and because UN Security
Council Resolution 1765 terminated the mandate of the High
Representative for the Elections, provided for in the
Pretoria Peace Agreement. Moussa said UNOCI is engaged with
the opposition to attempt to allay their fears regarding
implementation of the OPA and to assure them that their
concerns will be taken into account as the process moves
forward.


5. (C) Comment: Abou Moussa had just returned from meeting
with the Minister of Defense and opposition leaders Bedie and
Ouattara. He was candid and open in his assessment of the
peace process, especially the fact that the opposition
refusal to engage and Soro's loss of support have advanced
Gbagbo's status and prospects.
HUDDLESTON