Secretary-General, Welcoming Start of Côte d’Ivoire Election Campaign,

 

Calls for Peaceful Conduct, in Line with Ouagadougou Accord

 

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes the opening today of the electoral campaign in Côte d’Ivoire and the progress made so far in the electoral process.  He calls on the parties to conduct their electoral campaign in a peaceful manner, in keeping with the spirit engendered by the signing of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement.

The Secretary-General calls on the parties to preserve the current positive political climate and urges them to respect Article 6.6 in the Ouagadougou Political Agreement, as well as the Code of Good Conduct they signed on 24 April 2008.  He expects the parties to accept the proclaimed and certified results of the elections and to address any arising disputes through the legally-established mechanisms.

The holding of open, free, fair and transparent elections in Côte d’Ivoire will represent a major milestone towards the peaceful resolution of the crisis.  The Secretary-General calls on all parties and the Ivorian people to ensure that the country remains on track towards lasting peace and stability.

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For information media • not an official record