PRESS CONFERENCE BY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF CÔTE D’IVOIRE

PRESS CONFERENCE BY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF C ÔTE D’IVOIRE

At a Headquarters press conference this morning, Philippe Djangone-Bi, Permanent Representative of Côte d’Ivoire, urged the international community to do everything possible to end the suffering of his country by “pressuring the rebels to lay down their arms”.

He said the international community must also ensure that the rule of law prevailed and that the provisions of the country’s constitution applied.  That would be the best way to maintain lasting peace and security in the country and in the subregion.  The proposal to refer the crisis back to a summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had come as a complete surprise to the Ivorian Government and President Laurent Gbagbo had, in a letter on 19 September, rejected the convening of the ECOWAS Summit, which would “take us back to the starting point”.  Several ECOWAS member countries had a direct conflict of interest regarding the Ivorian conflict and therefore lacked impartiality.

[The Security Council, in a presidential statement on 21 September, reiterated its support for efforts by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the African Union and ECOWAS towards promoting peace and national reconciliation in Côte d’Ivoire.  The Council also expressed support for the continuing facilitation efforts towards that end by President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa.]

Mr. Djangone-Bi said that, thanks to President Mbeki’s examination of the issues involved in the conflict, the substance of the situation had been clearly defined and clarified.  Starting with the Pretoria Agreement of 6 April 2005 and the subsequent 29 June Declaration of Pretoria, it had been easy to identify which of the parties to the conflict was not in compliance with the agreements that they had signed to date.  President Mbeki’s report to the Security Council of 31 August stated clearly that all the mechanisms were in place for the organization of the presidential election on 30 October or shortly thereafter.  Its temporary postponement had been caused by the refusal of the rebellion to disarm in accordance with the agreements.  “Without their disarmament and the reunification of the country, no credible election is possible.”

Responding to questions, he said that President Mbeki’s mediation efforts were not over and that he had achieved more than had been done in the past.  The rebels were refusing to disarm, while President Gbagbo had made his share of sacrifices for the sake of peace.  It was now up to the Security Council to assume its responsibilities and exert pressure where it was needed in order for the peace process to move forward.  It was a source of concern for the Ivorian Government and people that nothing was forthcoming from the Council.

He told a questioner that the ECOWAS decision to take up the Ivorian issue again had been made in a “very strange manner”.  No proper preparations had been made for the meeting that had taken place on the fringes of the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on 14 September, and only two Heads of State from the 15-member grouping had been present.

“We respect ECOWAS.  We are still a member of ECOWAS”, he said, noting that many nationals from member countries of the subregional organization were living in Côte d’Ivoire.  However, the grouping had not been very impartial in its handling of the Ivorian crisis and the Government was concerned that it was taking up the question again when it had previously failed to resolve the conflict.

Both sides to the conflict were needed to make peace, he pointed out, adding that President Gbagbo had followed the mediation decisions.  It was now the turn of the rebels to lay down their weapons in order for the rule of law to prevail.

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For information media • not an official record