UN OPERATION IN COTE D'IVOIRE: VOTING

UNCLAS STATE 003800

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
PARIS FOR KANEDA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPKO IC
SUBJECT: UN OPERATION IN COTE D'IVOIRE: VOTING
INSTRUCTIONS AND TALKING POINTS FOR MANDATE RENEWAL



1. USUN is authorized to vote in favor of the resolution
renewing the mandate of the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire
(UNOCI); the text is in paragraph 3. You may draw on the
points in paragraph 2 for the Security Council
consultations scheduled for January 14.


2. Begin points:

--The U.S. welcomes the steps taken by the parties to
carry out their obligations under the Ouagadougou
Political Agreement and supplemental agreements.

--In particular, we note progress on issuance of
documentation by the mobile courts and the steps taken
towards creation of an integrated armed forces.

--We congratulate the parties for the restoration of civil
administration to much of Cote d'Ivoire.


--We urge the parties to move rapidly on issues that still
remain as possible stumbling blocks on the road to
stability and reconciliation.

--We look forward to progress on disarmament and
demobilization of combatants. We urge that the
identification process be accelerated and completed so
that the elections may be held.

--We hope that a date will be set soon for elections, so
that preparations can get underway.

--We note the important role the SRSG will play in
certifying all stages of the elections; we encourage all
parties to work with him and with UNOCI to ensure that the
presidential and legislative elections are fair, free,
transparent and inclusive.

End points.



3. Begin text of resolution:

The Security Council,
Recalling its previous resolutions, in particular
resolutions 1739 (2007) and 1765 (2007),and the
statements of its President relating to the situation in
Cote d'Ivoire,

Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty,
independence, territorial integrity and unity of Cote
d'Ivoire, and recalling the importance of the principles of
good-neighbourliness, non-interference and regional
cooperation,

Recalling that it endorsed the Agreement signed by
President Laurent Gbagbo and Mr. Guillaume Soro in
Ouagadougou on 4 March 2007 (?the Ouagadougou political
Agreement?, S/2007/144),and that it has supported the
appointment of Mr. Guillaume Soro as Prime Minister,

Expressing again its appreciation to the Chairperson of
the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
President Blaise Compaore, of Burkina Faso ("the
Facilitator") for his continued efforts to facilitate the
inter-Ivorian direct dialogue that led, in particular, to
the signing of the Ouagadougou political Agreement,
commending and encouraging the continued efforts of the
African Union and ECOWAS to promote peace and stability in
Cote d'Ivoire, and reiterating its full support for them,

Reiterating its strong condemnation of any attempt to
destabilize the peace process by force, in particular the
attack committed on 29 June 2007 in Bouake, against the
Prime Minister of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, Mr.
Guillaume Soro, that resulted in several deaths, and
stressing that the perpetrators of such criminal acts must
be brought to justice,

Having taken note of the report of the Secretary-General
dated 3 January 2008 (S/2008/1),

Reiterating its firm condemnation of all violations of
human rights and international humanitarian law in Cote
d'Ivoire,

Recalling its resolution 1612 (2005) on children and armed
conflict and the subsequent conclusions of the Security
Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict
pertaining to parties in the armed conflict of Cote
d'Ivoire (S/2007/93),

Recalling also its resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace
and Security, and its resolution 1674 (2006) on the
protection of civilians in armed conflict,

Welcoming the establishment, as agreed by the parties at
the meeting of the evaluation and monitoring committee of
11 May 2007 and the Facilitator, of an international
consultative organ to accompany the Ivorian political
forces and the Facilitator in the implementation of the
Ouagadougou political Agreement, and stressing the
importance of this organ participating in the meetings of
the evaluation and monitoring committee, as an observer,
and recalling that it may be consulted at any time by the
Facilitator,

Welcoming the success of the donors? round table of 18
July 2007 and emphasizing the importance of the continuing
support of the United Nations system and the international
community for strengthening the capacity of the Government
of Cote d'Ivoire and of the electoral bodies in order to
organize the presidential and legislative elections,

Determining that the situation in Cote d'Ivoire continues
to pose a threat to international peace and security in
the region,

Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United
Nations,


1. Welcomes Supplementary Agreements number 2 and 3 signed
by President Laurent Gbagbo and Mr Guillaume Soro in
Ouagadougou on 28 November 2007 ("the Supplementary
Agreements") under the facilitation of President Blaise
Compaore, of Burkina Faso;


2. Takes note of the recommendations of the African Union
in this regard, endorses the Supplementary Agreements and
calls upon the Ivorian parties to implement the
Supplementary Agreements and the Ouagadougou political
agreement fully, in good faith and within the amended time
frame set out in these Agreements, which will require the
Ivorian parties to redouble their efforts, and encourages
the international community to bring continued support to
this effect;


3. Commends the Facilitator for his continued efforts to
support the peace process and encourages the Ivorian
parties to make further concrete progress, in particular
in the identification of the Ivorian population and
registration of voters, the disarmament and dismantling of
militias, the disarmament, demobilization and
reintegration programme, the unification and restructuring
of defence and security forces and the restoration of
State authority throughout the country;


4. Decides to renew the mandates of the United Nations
Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and of the French
forces which support it, as determined in resolution 1739
(2007),until 30 July 2008, in order to support the
organization in Cote d'Ivoire of free, open, fair and
transparent elections within the time frame set out in the
Ouagadougou political Agreement and the Supplementary
Agreements of 28 November 2007;


5. Requests UNOCI, within its existing resources and
mandate, to support the full implementation of the
Ouagadougou political Agreement and of Supplementary
Agreement number 3;


6. Calls upon all concerned parties to ensure that the
protection of women and children is addressed in the
implementation of the Ouagadougou political Agreement as
well as the post-conflict reconstruction and recovery
phases, including continued monitoring and reporting of
the situation of women and children;


7. Also invites the signatories of the Ouagadougou
political Agreement to take the necessary steps to protect
vulnerable civilian populations, including by guaranteeing
the voluntary return, reinstallation, reintegration and
security of displaced persons, with the support of the
United Nations system, and to fulfill in this regard their
commitments in accordance with the Ouagadougou political
Agreement and their obligations under international
humanitarian law;


8. Expresses its intention to review by 30 July 2008 the
mandates of UNOCI and the French forces which support it,
as well as the level of troops of UNOCI, in the light of
the progress achieved in the implementation of the key
steps of the peace process, and requests the
Secretary-General to provide to it a report on these key

SIPDIS
steps three weeks before this date;


9. Gives its full support to the efforts of the Special
Representative of the Secretary-General in Cote d'Ivoire
and recalls that he shall certify that all stages of the
electoral process provide all the necessary guarantees for
the holding of open, free, fair and transparent
presidential and legislative elections in accordance with
international standards,


10. Requests the Secretary-General to keep it regularly
informed in particular on the preparation of the electoral
process, including registration of voters, and notably by
providing to it a report in this regard no later than 15
April 2008, and welcomes the establishment by UNOCI of a
certification support cell to assist the Special
Representative in fulfilling this task;


11. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take the
necessary measures to ensure full compliance in UNOCI with
the United Nations zero-tolerance policy on sexual
exploitation and abuses and to keep the Council informed,
and urges troop-contributing countries to take appropriate
preventive action including predeployment awareness
training, and other action to ensure full accountability
in cases of such conduct involving their personnel;


12. Recalls the importance of the provisions of the
Ouagadougou political Agreement and of the Supplementary
Agreements, including paragraph 8.1 of the Ouagadougou
political Agreement and paragraphs 8 and 9 of
Supplementary Agreement number 3, and urges the Ivorian
political forces to rely on the mediation by the
Facilitator, for any major difficulty concerning the
electoral process;


13. Encourages the Facilitator to continue to support the
process to settle the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire, and
requests UNOCI to continue to assist him and his Special
Representative in Abidjan, Mr Boureima Badini, in the
conduct of the facilitation, including by helping the
Facilitator, as appropriate and upon his request, to carry
out his arbitration role according to the provisions of
paragraph 8.1 of the Ouagadougou political Agreement and
paragraphs 8 and 9 of the Supplementary Agreement number
3;


14. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

End text.
RICE