PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECRETARY-GENERAL’S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR CÔTE D’IVOIRE

PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECRETARY-GENERAL’S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR C ÔTE D’IVOIRE

The mood in Abidjan is one of nervousness, Pierre Schori, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Côte d’Ivoire, told correspondents this afternoon during a press conference at Headquarters, following a private meeting of the Security Council on the situation in that country.

Asked by a correspondent whether the situation could be characterized as a “drift towards peace” or as “tensions running high”, Mr. Schori answered that, since the Pretoria Agreement and Declaration of 29 June, one could say that a vital part of the mission had been accomplished.  It was the necessary Africanization of the peace process, and the African Union had been a tremendous ally for the UN.  However, when focusing on the situation on the ground, things were “not all rosy” regarding human rights and the situation of the people, the peacekeepers and the civilian personnel.  The monthly report on human rights was “grim reading” about the absence, all over the country, of the rule of law, the daily harassment of people and a feeling of insecurity.  He said he had not seen so many Kalashnikovs in any city as in Abidjan.

Another aspect on the ground was the freedom of movement, or lack thereof, for peacekeepers and civilian personnel.  Recently, a new strategy had started, mainly by elements of the “Jeunes Patriotes” and the FANCI, of using human shields of unarmed civilians to stop mission personnel, whereby sometimes cars were stoned and damaged.  Those activities were unacceptable and an obstacle for peace.  They also contributed to the insecurity of peacekeepers.  The flow of rumours, about coups d’état and foreign infiltrations, also contributed to the feeling of insecurity.

However, there were many important and positive things being achieved, he said, such as the Road Map and a strong international commitment.  The “globalization” of the conflict, which started with the involvement of the UN, had turned into an “Africanization” through the African Union mediation.  What was needed now was a “nationalization” of the peace process.  The Ivorians themselves should now take real responsibilities.  There was a need to get the Forces nouvelles to regroup as a prelude to disarmament, and to get sustainability of the dismantlement of the militia in the south of the country.

Answering a question about South Africa’s future role, Mr. Schori said that a declaration yesterday from Pretoria, South Africa, had created confusion, but that South Africa would continue with mediation and helping in the implementation of the Agreement.  In a statement, South Africa had pledged to do “our utmost” to get peace to come to Côte d’Ivoire.  There was a general sense in Pretoria that South Africa had done what it was supposed to do: to get all sides to sign onto the Road Map, and that it was now up to the Ivorians.

He said the South Africans had their own experience of how to get to peace and democracy and they had given many examples of compromises and concessions to that end.  However, in Côte d’Ivoire, “a country that shouldn’t be where they are”, they saw something strange.  The Ivorian parties only met when invited by the outside, but never sat down to talk on their own initiative.  The South Africans didn’t understand that, which had led to a sense of frustration.  The important thing, however, was to “hang in there”.

Asked about a possible delay in the elections planned for 30 October, he said that if there was a delay, it would be a technical delay, not a political one.  There might not be time enough to print identification cards or voter registration cards, for instance.  A constitutional crisis must be avoided.  The first thing the High Representative for Elections on his return to the country on Monday would do was to sit down bilaterally with all parties to get their take on what had to be done after the Force nouvelles and the opposition had stated that 30 October was no longer valid.  After that, the High Representative, who had the confidence of all parties, would come with a determination.  It was necessary that all parties were represented in the Independent Electoral Commission.  The Forces nouvelles had finally nominated six people.  Other parties had to do the same now.

Answering a question on sanctions, Mr. Schori said the fact that the Security Council was ready to apply sanctions if there was a need, according to a presidential statement, was very important.  Progress achieved on several fronts would not have been possible without the threat of sanctions, as many people in Côte d’Ivoire were afraid of targeted sanction such as a travel ban and a freeze of assets.  He supported sanctions as an important instrument, but “a threat is not a threat if it cannot be implemented”, he said.  However, there needed to be a good reason at the right time to apply them.  It was, in that regard, important that the Sanctions Committee [established by Security Council resolution 1572 of 15 November 2004] would come down to Abidjan and “show the flag”.

Asked when sanctions would be applied, he said that after the 29 June Pretoria Declaration, sanctions were very much on the table.  The United Nations mission in Côte d’Ivoire was keeping track of facts and statements, such as hate language, in four “columns” [categories of violations] that could lead to sanctions.  Sooner or later, if the situation did not change, one of those columns would be filled to the brink.

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For information media • not an official record