SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES PLANNED MEETING ON COTE D’IVOIRE

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES PLANNED MEETING ON COTE D’IVOIRE

Following is a statement issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General welcomes the proposal by the Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to convene a meeting of the Ivorian parties in Accra, Ghana, on 10 November to discuss ways of resolving the current impasse in the peace process in Côte d’Ivoire, to be followed by an ECOWAS Summit, on 11 November.

The Secretary-General encourages all Ivorian parties and their leaders to cooperate with ECOWAS on this important initiative and to ensure a successful outcome of the meetings in Accra.  The Secretary-General hopes that the meetings will focus on reaching agreement on a calendar for the implementation of the key provisions of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, in particular on the early disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of the armed groups and the restoration of State authority throughout the country.

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