NEW YEAR MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT GBAGBO

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 000014


STATE FOR S/ES-CR, S/ES-O, AND AF

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPDC PREL OVIP IV
SUBJECT: NEW YEAR MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT GBAGBO


1. Embassy received by fax a message from President Laurent
Gbagbo to President Bush on the occasion of the New Year.
Please find Embassy translation of the original French text
in paragraph 2.


2. Begin translation of text.

To
His Excellency George Walker Bush
President of the United States of AMERICA
Washington

Mister President:

The celebration of the New Year 2009 gives me the pleasant
opportunity to extend to you, on behalf of the Ivoirian
people and government, and on my own behalf, my best wishes
for a happy New Year.

I am particularly happy to seize this pleasant opportunity to
underline how much I appreciate the excellent quality of the
relations of friendship and cooperation existing between the
Republic of Cote d'Ivoire and the United States of America,
as well as the delicate and very much appreciated attention
that you have given to them throughout your two mandates at
the highest office of your country.

While expressing to you my profound gratitude, I would like
to assure you of my determination to continue, with your
successor, our striving for strengthening the links of
friendship and cooperation that so fortunately unite our two
countries, and our noble struggle for the triumph of our
common ideals of justice, freedom and peace.

With my highest consideration.

Laurent Gbagbo
President of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire

End translation of text.


NESBITT