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