VZCZCXRO0176
OO RUEHMA RUEHPA RUEHTRO
DE RUEHC #4904/01 1200041
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 290035Z APR 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 1552
INFO UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
ECOWAS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHAB/AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN IMMEDIATE 0786
RUEHOU/AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU IMMEDIATE 7149
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 8563
RUEHMV/AMEMBASSY MONROVIA IMMEDIATE 2700

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 044904 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPKO ETTC IC
SUBJECT: UNSC 4/29/08 CONSULTATIONS ON COTE D'IVOIRE: 
GUIDANCE 
 
REF: IO/PSC & AF/W-USUN E-MAILS OF 4/23/08 
 
¶1. (U) USUN is authorized to join consensus on draft 
Presidential Statement (paragraph 4) welcoming the 
just-announced November 30 date for the Ivorian elections 
and exhorting all parties to keep elections preparations 
on track. USUN may draw on the points in paragraph 3 
during the April 29 Security Council consultations on Cote 
d'Ivoire. 
 
¶2. (U) We call USUN's attention to paragraph 54 of the 
Secretary-General's report of April 14, 2008, which notes 
 
SIPDIS 
that he may ask the Security Council to authorize the 
temporary transfer of air assets and vehicles from UNMIL 
to UNOCI, a mechanism established by UNSCR 1609 (2005). 
Despite impressive progress, the security situation in 
Liberia is still fragile, and the USG would want to review 
any such request carefully.  USUN does not need to raise 
this issue, but should be prepared to respond if another 
delegation does. 
 
¶3. (U) (Introduction): The United States welcomes the 
setting of a firm date for the nationwide elections in 
Cote d'Ivoire.  Although the road to restoring stability 
and prosperity to Cote d'Ivoire has often been a bumpy 
one, it is crucial to keep moving forward.  Cote d'Ivoire 
was once the economic powerhouse for the region, with a 
long history of stable government.  Nearly a decade of 
conflict undermined peace and prosperity for the Ivorian 
people and was potentially destabilizing for West Africa. 
In that context: 
 
-- We thank SRSG Choi for his presentation and commend the 
vital contribution UNOCI and its personnel are making to 
the peace process.  The United States welcomes the 
Secretary-General's recommendations. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
-- We also welcome the continuing role played by Licorne 
in supporting the peace process. 
 
-- We urge all parties to do their utmost to ensure that 
all necessary steps are taken to keep elections 
preparations on schedule.  This includes providing the 
lists of personnel and weapons they have promised.  In 
addition, it is critical that the identification process 
be completed, so that all Ivorians have the opportunity of 
participating in the elections.  November 30 is not that 
far away, and there is no time to be wasted. 
 
-- The United States also notes with appreciation the 
report of the Group of Experts on the implementation of 
Security Council sanctions related to Cote d'Ivoire.  We 
are concerned about continuing inconsistency in the 
application of those sanctions.  Given the long sad 
history of the use of diamonds to fund conflict in the 
region, and the continuing problem of the availability of 
weapons in West Africa, it is incumbent upon all of us to 
be thorough in our implementation of these vital measures. 
 
-- IF RAISED:  We support and appreciate the efforts by 
the Government of Cote d'Ivoire to move towards bringing 
peace and security to the people of Cote d'Ivoire. 
However, the United States cannot support the lifting of 
sanctions at this time.  Prior to the lifting of the 
sanctions, more work needs to be done by the Government, 
including: holding free and fair elections, enhancing 
transparency, restoring the State's authority over the 
entire territory, and making progress on the program for 
disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of 
ex-combatants. 
 
-- We would also like to express our disappointment that 
the Ivorian authorities continue to refuse UNOCI access to 
facilities of the Republican Guard.  It is clear to the 
United States that such inspections are within UNOCI's 
mandate to monitor implementation of the arms embargo, and 
we urge the Government of Cote d'Ivoire to cooperate with 
UNOCI in this regard. 
 
-- The United States looks forward to the 
Secretary-General's recommendations on a drawdown plan for 
 
SIPDIS 
UNOCI, following the elections. 
 
STATE 00044904  002 OF 003 
 
 
-- In conclusion, the United States would also like to 
thank President Compaore of Burkina Faso for his energetic 
and fruitful efforts as Facilitator of the Ivorian peace 
process. 
 
¶4. (U) Begin text of Presidential Statement: 
 
The Security Council recalls that it endorsed the 
Ouagadougou Political Agreement as well as its 
Supplementary Agreements. 
 
The Security Council warmly welcomes the approval by the 
Ivorian authorities of the proposal from the Independent 
Electoral Commission to organize presidential elections on 
30 November 2008. It underlines that this announcement, 
supported by all Ivorian parties, and the signing by 
President Laurent GBAGBO of related decrees, constitute an 
important step forward. The Security Council encourages 
the Ivorian parties to redouble their efforts to meet this 
commitment, and the international community to bring 
continued support to this effect. 
 
The Security Council commends the Facilitator, President 
Blaise COMPAORE of Burkina Faso, for his continued efforts 
to support the peace process in Cte d'Ivoire, in 
particular through the Ouagadougou Political Agreement 
follow up mechanism. This support to the actions of 
President Laurent GBAGBO and Prime Minister Guillaume 
SORO, with  the active engagement of SRSG CHOI Young-Jin, 
has been instrumental towards achieving the establishment 
of a consensus among all political parties to hold 
presidential elections in 2008. 
 
The Security Council reaffirms its full support to the 
Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Cte d' 
Ivoire, and recalls that he shall certify that all stages 
of the electoral process provide all the necessary 
guarantees for the holding of open, free, fair and 
transparent presidential and legislative elections in 
accordance with international standards, consistent with 
paragraph 9 of Resolution 1795 (2008). It fully supports 
in particular the five criteria framework elaborated by Mr 
CHOI in this regard and welcomed by the Ivorian parties. 
 
The Security Council welcomes the visit of the 
Secretary-General to Burkina Faso and Cte d'Ivoire (23-24 
 
SIPDIS 
April) and is encouraged by the signing, under the 
auspices of the Secretary-General, of a Code of Good 
Conduct for elections by all political parties. 
 
The Security Council welcomes the Secretary-General's 
report dated 15 April 2008 (S/2008/250). It encourages the 
Ivorian parties to build on the on-going mobile courts 
process for the identification of the Ivorian population 
and registration of voters. The Security Council looks 
forward to the publication of the electoral list as a 
crucial step of the electoral process. 
 
The Security Council calls upon the parties to make 
concrete progress to promote political and security 
stability, in particular in the context of the forthcoming 
of the presidential elections, in such key areas as the 
disarmament and dismantling of militias, the disarmament, 
demobilization and reintegration programme, the storage of 
weapons, the unification and restructuring of defence and 
security forces and the full restoration of State 
authority throughout the country. 
 
 The Security Council takes note with appreciation of the 
support of bilateral and multilateral donors, in 
particular  ECOWAS, AU and the EU. It calls upon donors 
and the Government of Cote d'Ivoire to make further 
efforts to finance the electoral process, including 
through the trust fund established by UNDP to that effect, 
and calls upon the authorities of Cte d'Ivoire to engage 
fully with the donors. It also encourages the 
international community to enhance its financial support 
for the facilitation. 
 
The Security Council expresses its appreciation for the 
role played by the United Nations Operations in Cte d' 
Ivoire (UNOCI), supported by the French forces, in 
contributing to bring the security needed by the peace 
process and the logistical support required for the 
preparation of the elections.  It welcomes the assessment 
made by the Secretary-General on the troop level of UNOCI 
 
STATE 00044904  003 OF 003 
 
 
in his report (S/2008/250). The Security Council will 
review by 30 July 2008 the mandates of UNOCI and French 
forces which support it, as well as the level of troops of 
UNOCI, in accordance with paragraph 8 of Resolution 1795 
(2008). 
 
The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to 
keep it regularly informed of the situation including on 
the logistical support that UNOCI will provide for the 
elections. 
 
End text. 
RICE