IN PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT, SECURITY COUNCIL EXPRESSES GRAVE CONCERN AT ATTEMPTS BY ARMED ELEMENTS IN COTE D’IVOIRE TO CROSS CEASEFIRE LINE

Security Council

4875^th Meeting* (PM)

IN PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT, SECURITY COUNCIL EXPRESSES GRAVE CONCERN AT ATTEMPTS

BY ARMED ELEMENTS IN COTE D’IVOIRE TO CROSS CEASEFIRE LINE

The Security Council this afternoon expressed its grave concern at attempts by armed elements in Côte d’Ivoire to cross the ceasefire line, as observed by the forces of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and France on

29 and 30 November.

By a presidential statement, read by this month’s Council President Stefan Tafrov (Bulgaria), the Council strongly underscored to all the Ivorian parties their primary responsibility for observing the ceasefire and firmly called on all the parties to refrain from any action that might jeopardize observance of the ceasefire and implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement.  [That agreement was reached in Linas-Marcoussis, France, from 15 to 23 January, and provided for the establishment of a Government of National Reconciliation.]  It reiterated that it was absolutely essential to expedite the Agreement’s implementation.

The Council also emphasized the importance of having the “Forces nouvelles” participate fully in the Government of National Reconciliation, and of having the entire Government meet.  It also reaffirmed the urgency of carrying out operations to regroup the opposing forces so that disarmament and demobilization could begin, including measures of reintegration into the regular army or into civilian life.

The meeting, which began at 12:35 p.m., was adjourned at 12:40.

Presidential Statement

The full text of presidential statement S/PRST/2003/25 reads, as follows:

The Security Council declares that it is gravely concerned at the attempts by armed elements to cross the ceasefire line, which were observed by the forces of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the French forces on 29 and 30 November, and at the serious consequences which might ensue.

The Security Council reiterates its full support for the ECOWAS and French forces and commends them for the action they took to foil such attempts, in accordance with Security Council resolutions 1464 (2003) and 1498 (2003).

The Security Council strongly underscores to all the Ivorian parties their primary responsibility for observing the ceasefire, in accordance with the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement.

The Security Council firmly calls on all the parties to refrain from any action that might jeopardize observance of the ceasefire and implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, and from encouraging such acts.

The Security Council reiterates that it is absolutely essential for all the parties to make every effort to expedite the implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement.  In that regard, it once again emphasizes the importance of having the Forces nouvelles participate fully in the Government of National Reconciliation, of having the entire Government meet immediately, and of having it take the necessary measures to implement all the provisions of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement.  It also reaffirms the urgency of carrying out operations to regroup the opposing forces so that disarmament and demobilization can begin, and of ensuring that these operations are accompanied by measures of reintegration into the regular army or into civilian life.

In this connection, the Security Council reiterates that it intends to consider the Secretary-General’s recommendations concerning ways to facilitate peace and stability in Côte d’Ivoire.

In this connection the Security Council reiterates that it intends to consider the Secretary-General’s recommendations concerning ways to facilitate peace and stability in Côte d’Ivoire.

The Security Council welcomes the commitments made by President Laurent Gbagbo in his speech of 27 November, in which he reaffirmed that he intended to implement the provisions of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement without further ado, and calls for the implementation of these commitments.

The Security Council calls on all the parties in Côte d’Ivoire and the countries of the region to guarantee the safety and access of the staff of humanitarian agencies working in the field during consolidation of the peace process.

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*     The 4874^th Meeting of 24 November was closed.