Security Council

5491^st Meeting (AM)

SECURITY COUNCIL WELCOMES 5 JULY HIGH-LEVEL MEETING IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE,

AIMED AT ASSESSING PEACE PROCESS, PROSPECTS FOR OCTOBER ELECTIONS

The Security Council today welcomed the high-level meeting convened in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, on 5 July by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, to discuss the implementation of the peace process in that country, and urged all Ivorian parties to implement all the commitments taken there and to meet agreed deadlines.

In a presidential statement read out by Council President Jean-Marc de La Sablière ( France), the Council said those commitments concerned, among other things, measures for the holding of elections by 31 October, the establishment of a monitoring group on the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme, the dismantling of militias and the establishment of a code of conduct for the media.

The Council underlined that it was “fully prepared” to impose “targeted measures” against persons who were, among other things, blocking the implementation of the peace process, responsible for serious violations of human rights and international law, publicly inciting hatred and violence or were in violation of the arms embargo, according to its resolutions 1572 (2004) and 1643 (2005).

The Council called on the International Working Group, the United Nations/African Union mediation body provided for by resolution 1633 (2005), to monitor the full implementation of the decisions taken during that meeting.

More information on the high-level meeting, as well as a list of participants can be found in document S/2006/516.

The meeting started at 11:45 a.m. and was adjourned at 11:50 a.m.

Presidential Statement

The full text of presidential statement S/PRST/2006/32 reads as follows:

“The Security Council welcomes the initiative of the Secretary-General, who organized the high-level meeting in Yamoussoukro on 5 July 2006.  It urges all Ivorian parties to implement, in close liaison with the impartial forces, all their commitments taken at this occasion concerning the identification operations, the establishment of a monitoring group on the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme, the completion of the pre-cantonment process, the adjustment to the electoral code, the dismantling of militias and the establishment of a code of conduct for the media, and urges them, in particular, to meet the agreed deadlines.

“The Security Council urges also all Ivorian parties to accelerate the implementation of the road map in order to create the conditions indispensable for the holding of free, open, fair and transparent elections by 31 October.

“The Security Council calls on the International Working Group (IWG) to monitor the full implementation of the decisions taken by all Ivorian parties in Yamoussoukro on 5 July 2006, and to report to it on its assessment in this regard.

“The Security Council underlines that it is fully prepared to impose targeted measures against persons to be designated by the Committee established by paragraph 14 of resolution 1572 (2004) who are determined to be, among other things, blocking the implementation of the peace process, including by attacking or obstructing the action of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), of the French forces which support it, of the High Representative for the elections or of the IWG, responsible for serious violations of human rights and international law committed in Côte d’Ivoire since 19 September 2002, inciting publicly hatred and violence or in violation of the arms embargo, as provided in resolutions 1572 (2004) and 1643 (2005).

“The Security Council welcomes the intention of the Secretary-General to call a meeting on the situation in Côte d’Ivoire in September 2006 to take stock of the situation and to make any further determinations as may be needed.  In this regard, it requests the Secretary-General to report to it before the September meeting on the obstacles remaining to the implementation of the roadmap and on those responsible.

“The Security Council expresses its full support for the IWG and endorses its eighth final communiqué dated 23 June 2006.  It reiterates its full support for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the High Representative for the Elections.”

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For information media • not an official record