COTE D'IVOIRE ELECTIONS TO BE DELAYED; COUNCIL

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000911

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL UNSC XY IV LI
SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE ELECTIONS TO BE DELAYED; COUNCIL
MEMBERS REQUEST UNOCI EXIT PLAN


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) SRSG
Choi told the Security Council on October 13 that elections
would be delayed for political and technical reasons, and
said the priority must be approving the provisional voters
list as soon as possible. Choi said the 2.7 million names
not on the voters list were a great concern. Ambassador
DiCarlo stressed that support for UNOCI from the UN Mission
in Liberia was only available until February, 2010, at the
latest. France, the UK, and Japan called for a withdrawal
plan for UNOCI. Russia called the Group of Experts
ineffective and its reports biased. Choi concluded by
requesting another Presidential Statement to urge parties to
hold elections. END SUMMARY.

CHOI: AN ELECTION DELAY IS INEVITABLE BUT WORTH IT IF THE
LIST IS CREDIBLE


2. (SBU) During closed consultations on October 13, UNOCI
SRSG Choi said elections are "almost there," but warned the
current November 29 date was not realistic due to political
and technical reasons. He stressed it was most important to
have a credible electoral list, and to ensure this it was
worth delaying elections, possibly until January, 2010.
(NOTE: In a private meeting with Ambassador DiCarlo on
September 29, Choi said elections might need to be delayed
until March, 2010. END NOTE.) He cautioned that a longer
delay could signify a lack of political will, and said the
challenges to reunification, including disarmament and
integration in the north, could still hamper the peace
process.

CHOI NOTES CONCERN OF 2.7 MILLION NAMES NOT ON VOTERS LIST


3. (SBU) Choi cautioned that an agreement must be reached
soon regarding the 2.7 million names, roughly 40 percent of
the voting population, which were currently not on the voters
list. He said the appeals process for the list must be of a
limited duration, and that the north needs a functioning
judiciary to hear appeals. Choi called on all Council
members to apply bilateral pressure on Cote d'Ivoire to
respect the (as yet undisclosed) new electoral calendar.

U.S. STRESSES UNMIL AVAILABILITY IS LIMITED


4. (SBU) Ambassador DiCarlo said the U.S. is frustrated by
the challenges to the electoral timeline and noted with
concern the repeated delays in holding elections. She
stressed that the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) would not be
able to offer support to UNOCI after February, 2010. DiCarlo
also expressed concerns over the recent violations to the
arms embargo and diamond ban.

MEMBERS CALL FOR UNOCI DRAWDOWN PLAN


5. (SBU) French PR Araud said that Cote d'Ivoire PR Djedje
told him on October 12 that elections would be held "in
2009," citing December 27 as a potential date. The UK called
for an updated timeline so that the Council could track
progress towards elections. France, Japan, and the UK
requested the UN to report on the withdrawal plan for UNOCI.
Both the UK and France requested a technical assessment
mission be sent to Cote d'Ivoire before the January 2010
mandate renewal period.


6. (SBU) Uganda and the UK expressed concern over premature
elections and the threat they would pose to a sustainable
peace. Austria cited the importance of judicial
effectiveness in the north. Costa Rica, Croatia, and Austria
all joined the U.S. in stressing the need to protect women
against gender based violence.

RUSSIA CALLS GROUP OF EXPERTS INEFFECTIVE


7. (SBU) Russia said UNOCI needed to shift from a
peacekeeping to a peacebuilding mission. Russia also said
the work of the Group of Experts (GOE) must be substantially
improved, and that the GOE reporting was biased and
ineffective . Russia looked forward to discussing further
how to improve the role of the GOE.

CHOI REQUESTS ANOTHER PRST


8. (SBU) President Choi concluded by saying a presidential
statement, calling on all parties to hold elections, would be
of help.
RICE