UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 044904

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPKO ETTC IC
SUBJECT: UNSC 4/29/08 CONSULTATIONS ON COTE D'IVOIRE:
GUIDANCE

REF: IO/PSC & AF/W-USUN E-MAILS OF 4/23/08


1. (U) USUN is authorized to join consensus on draft
Presidential Statement (paragraph 4) welcoming the
just-announced November 30 date for the Ivorian elections
and exhorting all parties to keep elections preparations
on track. USUN may draw on the points in paragraph 3
during the April 29 Security Council consultations on Cote
d'Ivoire.


2. (U) We call USUN's attention to paragraph 54 of the
Secretary-General's report of April 14, 2008, which notes

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that he may ask the Security Council to authorize the
temporary transfer of air assets and vehicles from UNMIL
to UNOCI, a mechanism established by UNSCR 1609 (2005).
Despite impressive progress, the security situation in
Liberia is still fragile, and the USG would want to review
any such request carefully. USUN does not need to raise
this issue, but should be prepared to respond if another
delegation does.


3. (U) (Introduction): The United States welcomes the
setting of a firm date for the nationwide elections in
Cote d'Ivoire. Although the road to restoring stability
and prosperity to Cote d'Ivoire has often been a bumpy
one, it is crucial to keep moving forward. Cote d'Ivoire
was once the economic powerhouse for the region, with a
long history of stable government. Nearly a decade of
conflict undermined peace and prosperity for the Ivorian
people and was potentially destabilizing for West Africa.
In that context:

-- We thank SRSG Choi for his presentation and commend the
vital contribution UNOCI and its personnel are making to
the peace process. The United States welcomes the
Secretary-General's recommendations.

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-- We also welcome the continuing role played by Licorne
in supporting the peace process.

-- We urge all parties to do their utmost to ensure that
all necessary steps are taken to keep elections
preparations on schedule. This includes providing the
lists of personnel and weapons they have promised. In
addition, it is critical that the identification process
be completed, so that all Ivorians have the opportunity of
participating in the elections. November 30 is not that

far away, and there is no time to be wasted.

-- The United States also notes with appreciation the
report of the Group of Experts on the implementation of
Security Council sanctions related to Cote d'Ivoire. We
are concerned about continuing inconsistency in the
application of those sanctions. Given the long sad
history of the use of diamonds to fund conflict in the
region, and the continuing problem of the availability of
weapons in West Africa, it is incumbent upon all of us to
be thorough in our implementation of these vital measures.

-- IF RAISED: We support and appreciate the efforts by
the Government of Cote d'Ivoire to move towards bringing
peace and security to the people of Cote d'Ivoire.
However, the United States cannot support the lifting of
sanctions at this time. Prior to the lifting of the
sanctions, more work needs to be done by the Government,
including: holding free and fair elections, enhancing
transparency, restoring the State's authority over the
entire territory, and making progress on the program for
disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of
ex-combatants.

-- We would also like to express our disappointment that
the Ivorian authorities continue to refuse UNOCI access to
facilities of the Republican Guard. It is clear to the
United States that such inspections are within UNOCI's
mandate to monitor implementation of the arms embargo, and
we urge the Government of Cote d'Ivoire to cooperate with
UNOCI in this regard.

-- The United States looks forward to the
Secretary-General's recommendations on a drawdown plan for

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UNOCI, following the elections.

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-- In conclusion, the United States would also like to
thank President Compaore of Burkina Faso for his energetic
and fruitful efforts as Facilitator of the Ivorian peace
process.


4. (U) Begin text of Presidential Statement:

The Security Council recalls that it endorsed the
Ouagadougou Political Agreement as well as its
Supplementary Agreements.

The Security Council warmly welcomes the approval by the
Ivorian authorities of the proposal from the Independent
Electoral Commission to organize presidential elections on
30 November 2008. It underlines that this announcement,
supported by all Ivorian parties, and the signing by
President Laurent GBAGBO of related decrees, constitute an
important step forward. The Security Council encourages
the Ivorian parties to redouble their efforts to meet this
commitment, and the international community to bring
continued support to this effect.

The Security Council commends the Facilitator, President
Blaise COMPAORE of Burkina Faso, for his continued efforts
to support the peace process in Cte d'Ivoire, in
particular through the Ouagadougou Political Agreement
follow up mechanism. This support to the actions of
President Laurent GBAGBO and Prime Minister Guillaume
SORO, with the active engagement of SRSG CHOI Young-Jin,
has been instrumental towards achieving the establishment
of a consensus among all political parties to hold
presidential elections in 2008.

The Security Council reaffirms its full support to the
Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Cte 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, consistent with
paragraph 9 of Resolution 1795 (2008). It fully supports
in particular the five criteria framework elaborated by Mr
CHOI in this regard and welcomed by the Ivorian parties.

The Security Council welcomes the visit of the
Secretary-General to Burkina Faso and Cte d'Ivoire (23-24

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April) and is encouraged by the signing, under the
auspices of the Secretary-General, of a Code of Good
Conduct for elections by all political parties.

The Security Council welcomes the Secretary-General's
report dated 15 April 2008 (S/2008/250). It encourages the
Ivorian parties to build on the on-going mobile courts
process for the identification of the Ivorian population
and registration of voters. The Security Council looks
forward to the publication of the electoral list as a
crucial step of the electoral process.

The Security Council calls upon the parties to make
concrete progress to promote political and security
stability, in particular in the context of the forthcoming
of the presidential elections, in such key areas as the
disarmament and dismantling of militias, the disarmament,
demobilization and reintegration programme, the storage of
weapons, the unification and restructuring of defence and
security forces and the full restoration of State
authority throughout the country.

The Security Council takes note with appreciation of the
support of bilateral and multilateral donors, in
particular ECOWAS, AU and the EU. It calls upon donors
and the Government of Cote d'Ivoire to make further
efforts to finance the electoral process, including
through the trust fund established by UNDP to that effect,
and calls upon the authorities of Cte d'Ivoire to engage
fully with the donors. It also encourages the
international community to enhance its financial support
for the facilitation.

The Security Council expresses its appreciation for the
role played by the United Nations Operations in Cte d'
Ivoire (UNOCI), supported by the French forces, in
contributing to bring the security needed by the peace
process and the logistical support required for the
preparation of the elections. It welcomes the assessment
made by the Secretary-General on the troop level of UNOCI

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in his report (S/2008/250). The Security Council will
review by 30 July 2008 the mandates of UNOCI and French
forces which support it, as well as the level of troops of
UNOCI, in accordance with paragraph 8 of Resolution 1795
(2008).

The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to
keep it regularly informed of the situation including on
the logistical support that UNOCI will provide for the
elections.

End text.
RICE