COTE D'IVOIRE: VIEWS FROM SMALLER PARTIES

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 000907 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W-EPLUMB AND INR/AA-BGRAVES E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2017 TAGS: PGOV IV SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: VIEWS FROM SMALLER PARTIES Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES CYNTHIA AKUETTEH FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) A ND (D). ¶1. (C) Summary. Poloff met separately August 27 with Robert Guei Bombet, President of the "Renaissance" party (Parti La Renaissance) and with Francis Wodie, President of the Ivorian Workers' party (Parti Ivorien des Travailleurs - PTI). Both lamented the lack of implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Accord (OPA). Guei Bombet called for the creation of a transitional government, arguing that new political actors are needed to bring about change. Wodie stated that elections are not possible before October 2008 and that there are rumors of renewed violence that impede disarmament. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Poloff met August 27 with Robert Guei Bombet, President of the "Renaissance" party (Parti La Renaissance) Guei Bombet told Poloff that the Renaissance party was created in 1987 by a faction that broke away from President Gbagbo's Popular Ivorian Front (Front Populaire Ivoirien - FPI). Guei Bombet claims that there are currently approximately 140 political parties in Cote d'Ivoire. He lamented that the OPA has not been implemented except for the formation of the new government. Guei Bombet noted that the militia have not been disarmed and dismissed the importance of the elimination of the zone of confidence, noting that the government still controls the south and the Forces Nouvelles control the north. He described the situation in Cote d'Ivoire as a "pacific cohabitation" rather than a true union. According to Guei Bombet, the "audiences foraines" (the tribunals that will issue replacement birth certificates) and the issuance of identity cards should not be linked and charged that requiring the "audiences foraines" to complete their work before issuance of identity cards is just a tactic to delay the identification process. ¶3. (C) Guei Bombet said the Renaissance party believes that new political actors are needed to bring about change and that a transitional government should be put in place composed of "credible" political parties and "credible" members of civil society. He told Poloff that the international community could play a part in determining who is "credible." Guei Bombet criticized opposition political parties for accepting government ministries on the ground that parties that belong to the government cannot mount a credible opposition. Guei Bombet said La Renaissance cooperates with the following political parties: the Party for Progress and Socialism (Parti Pour le Progres et le Socialisme- PPS),the Ivorian Revival Union (Union des Ivoriens de Renouveau),the People's Socialist Union (Union Socialiste du Peuple - USP),the Communist Party, the Ivorian Workers' Party (Parti Ivorien des Travailleurs - PIT),and the Movement of Forces of the Future (Mouvement des Forces de l'Avenir). He noted that the Movement of Forces of the Future belongs to the government, but said the party "has realized it made a mistake." ¶4. (C) Poloff also met August 27 separately with Francis Wodie, President of the Ivorian Workers' party (Parti Ivorien des Travailleurs - PTI). Wedie stated that the PTI will abide by the OPA because the party will support all agreements that seek peace for Cote d'Ivoire. He accused the structures that are responsible for organizing the elections of not being independent of the government and called for reform of the Constitutional Council, arguing that many of its members are pro-Gbagbo. Wodie echoed Guei Bombet's complaint that the OPA has not been implemented. According to Wodie, elections are not possible before October 2008. He added that elections results would be disputed if they are held under the status quo and called for reconciliation before elections. According to Wodie, there are rumors of renewed violence, which impede real disarmament. AKUETTEH