S/PV.4793 Security Council

In accordance with the understanding reached in the Council’s prior consultations, and in the absence of objection, I shall take it that the Security Council agrees to extend an invitation under rule 37 of its provisional rules of procedure to His Excellency Mr. Seydou Elimane Diarra, Prime Minister of the National Reconciliation Government of Côte d’Ivoire. There being no objection, it is so decided.

On behalf of the Council, I extend a warm welcome to His Excellency Mr. Seydou Elimane Diarra, Prime Minister of the National Reconciliation Government of Côte d’Ivoire. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. I welcome the presence of the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan, at this meeting. As this is the last time that Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock will participate in the Council’s deliberations in his current capacity as Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, I wish to take this opportunity to express to him, on behalf of the members of the Council, our appreciation of him as a colleague and friend. We shall remember him for his clarity and eloquence in his presentations and for his readiness to search for compromise. His unfailing eagerness to assist Council members in finding consensus language has often helped the Council to reach agreement on difficult issues. Aside from his ability to articulate and to persuade, he has also provided effective leadership to two Security Council missions to West Africa. Upon his departure from New York, Sir Jeremy will take up another delicate task as the United Kingdom’s Special Representative in Iraq. I am sure that he will make use of his abundant President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr. Laurent Gbagbo, of the Government of National Reconciliation and of the people of Côte d’Ivoire. I should like to thank you, Mr. President, for having organized this Security Council meeting on Côte d’Ivoire. I should also like to commend and congratulate your predecessor, Ambassador Lavrov, for the work carried out during the Russian presidency of the Security Council in the month of June, in particular the Council’s visit to Côte d’Ivoire during its mission to West Africa, which was led by Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock. The report (S/2003/688) on that subject and the conclusions and recommendations that it contains have been examined by the Ivorian authorities. That visit and this meeting attest to the importance that the United Nations attaches to Côte d’Ivoire and its people at this difficult moment in their history. In this regard, I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate my gratitude to the Secretary- General, Mr. Kofi Annan, for his tireless support for the process of restoring peace in Côte d’Ivoire. I should also like to commend the commitment of his Special Representative, Mr. Albert Tevoedjre, Chairman of the Monitoring Committee for the Linas-Marcoussis- Kleber and Accra II Agreements, and the other members of the Committee, as well as France and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), who are working to bring about a successful resolution of the Ivorian crisis. The Council is well aware of all the details of the Ivorian crisis. Its most recent visit to Côte d’Ivoire provided an opportunity to consider once again how to resolve the crisis, and its report takes due account of this. I should like, at the outset, to focus on what has been achieved since the signing of the Linas- Marcoussis-Kleber and Accra II Agreements, particularly since the formation of the Government of National Reconciliation. My Special Adviser for the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Programme will then provide a briefing on that issue prepared by Côte d’Ivoire. Lastly, I will be available to Council members to answer any specific questions that they may wish to ask me. What progress has been made in the implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement since it was signed? On 13 March, the Government of that the Government can be complete. To date, I can say that the Government is working normally and that the functions of the ministers for defence and security are being carried out. Within the framework of resuming economic and social activities, last week I travelled to Belgium, where I met bilaterally with the Belgian authorities and, on a multilateral basis, with officials from the European Commission, in particular President Romano Prodi. Upon my return from New York, I will devote the month of August to visiting the various regions of Côte d’Ivoire in order to reassure the people about developments in the process of the return to peace. All of these activities will lead, in September, to the relaunching of the economy and, in particular, to contacts with the Bretton Woods institutions and the private sector. What kind of support are we expecting from the Security Council with a view to giving new momentum to the process for the restoration of peace? Nationally, we will undertake what I would call the extension of phase-3 security throughout Côte d’Ivoire. This will be followed by the transition from phase 3 to phase 2. There will be a need to finance the ECOWAS Mission in Côte d’Ivoire; the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme and the redeployment of administration throughout the national territory. Financing will also be needed in the areas of health and education, particularly as the 2003-2004 school year begins. My Government will also be making a request for support from the United Nations for the holding of fair, transparent and open elections. There will, additionally, also be a need to relaunch the economy and increase humanitarian assistance, as well as to provide assistance in the training of young people and in the creation of jobs. At the subregional level, there will be a need to settle the Liberian conflict, which will bring about stability throughout the entire subregion. Lastly, there will have to be a robust campaign against poverty in the subregion, which is the source of instability throughout Africa. In that connection, I believe we must focus on reducing poverty in order that we can and-a-half-month period, that is, from the beginning of June to the middle of August. That will be followed by grouping, which will take place during a two-week period, from 13 August to early September. Disarmament will then start at the beginning of grouping and continue through the middle of September. That will be followed by demobilization, which will take place during a one-month period ending on 19 October. Cantonment will then take place during a two-week period, ending in the first week of November. Lastly, the most important component, which is reintegration, will take place during a period of 12 to 24 months. The forces involved have reached consensus to define 17 conditions, which we have summarized in the document we have circulated among the members of the Council. They include the five following points. First is the signing of a comprehensive ceasefire agreement, which took place on 3 May. Secondly, there is the establishment of a buffer zone, which took place on 1 June. That zone, which can be seen on the map attached to the document we have circulated, runs east to west for about 40 kilometres. It includes the impartial forces of Operation Licorne and MINUCI. There are no weapons or, of course, belligerents, within the zone. Thirdly, there was also a joint communiqué declaring the end of the war, which was signed by the Forces armées nationales de Côte d’Ivoire and the Forces nouvelles de Côte d’Ivoire at a solemn ceremony at the presidential palace in the presence of the entire Government and the ambassadors accredited to Côte d’Ivoire. In addition, the ceremony was broadcast live on national television. Fourthly, an amnesty law that will enable us to begin the grouping programme will be presented to a parliamentary commission on 4 August, and to a plenary meeting of the National Assembly on 6 August. Fifthly, the restructuring of the Forces armées nationals de Côte d’Ivoire will be based on the law on military planning that has already been drafted and which will be strengthened in the light of the current situation. Lastly, grouping will begin with the identification of cantonment areas, which started on 8 June. As members will see from the map before them, the commissioned officers and by legislative order for other combatants. Cantonment is the period before reintegration. It will enable us to compile the socioeconomic data entered on the forms, to issue demobilization identity cards and to reorient those individuals towards civilian life, with all the necessary support. The final and most important stage of the programme is reintegration. As we have already stated, it will extend over a period of 12 to 24 months. To that end, we need to make preliminary studies to define reintegration activities. Those activities will be supported by vocational training, appropriate organizational structures and an appropriate civic service, since we now have a new ministry of youth and civic service, which will enable the annual graduation of 19,000 persons who can then be reintegrated into economic life. Special projects will be prepared for vulnerable groups such as child soldiers. We will also prepare education and follow-up relating to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. That is a summary of the programme of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration in Côte d’Ivoire.

I give the floor again to the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire.

I thank you, Sir, for your attention to this briefing. I will be available for any questions. I thank the Council for holding this meeting today. Today, we are in the process of emerging from the crisis. The guns have fallen silent. We are now attempting to get the Côte d’Ivoire to work, to resume our activities from the past, working with all neighbouring countries in the subregion. You have seen, Sir, that we have stressed social reintegration in our briefing. It is an important programme. In our country, if we do not get children back to work, we would be leaving them to destabilizing forces, to all those who would try to use them to destabilize the country. Our programme is doing everything possible so that by 2005, when our mission ends, we will have carried out the maximum number of reintegrations among the youth population, while stressing the campaign against HIV/AIDS. While remaining very vigilant about the effective implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, the international community will continue to support the ECOWAS Mission in Côte d’Ivoire (ECOMICI). I believe that the donors conference held recently, on 18 July, in Paris gave some encouraging signs in this respect. Let me add that, on the ground, ECOWAS and French troops are continuing their efforts in support of the peace process. In keeping with resolution 1464 (2003), France early next week will publish a report on the activities of Operation Licorne. The Council will also be renewing the six-month authorization it had granted to the peacekeeping forces. In that respect, my delegation will be submitting a brief technical draft resolution early next week. Finally, as Council members are aware, we have prepared a draft presidential statement embodying these main points. I understand that the expert-level meetings that took place this week indicate that there is agreement on the draft. If that is the case, it could perhaps be adopted at the end of this meeting, if members agree. Sir Jeremy Greenstock (United Kingdom): It is a great pleasure to see Prime Minister Diarra among us. I should like to thank him for the hospitality which the Government of Côte d’Ivoire showed the Security Council mission during our visit there at the end of last month, for the trouble he is taking to follow up that mission and the resolutions of the Council on Côte d’Ivoire, and for his briefing this morning. It is also a great pleasure to see Special Representative Tevoedjre with us this morning. It is very valuable to have him on the ground during this crucial period of the development of a new stability and reconciliation in Côte d’Ivoire. We need to continue to work closely with him as we take our own business forward on this important country. I join with Ambassador De la Sablière in congratulating the Prime Minister on the progress his Government has made, including the presentation to the National Assembly of a comprehensive programme of work to implement the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement. We warmly welcome the joint declaration of 4 July ending the hostilities on the ground, and we note with approval that the security situation on the ground in Côte d’Ivoire has improved. I think that the work that is being done on the implementation of the

I wish first of all to comment on Ambassador Greenstock’s departure from the Council. Ambassador Greenstock will be leaving us to take up his new responsibilities. He was involved in the drafting of resolution 1483 (2003) on Iraq — indeed the United Kingdom was a sponsor of that resolution. He therefore has an excellent understanding of that resolution; it can even be said that he is an expert on it. I am convinced, therefore, that in his new capacity he will work in the spirit of the Security Council. He has a very good understanding of the Council’s attitude, position and even sentiments towards that resolution. I believe that he will do his best to implement resolution 1483 (2003); he was present when it was unanimously adopted. I am certain that he will make a further contribution to peace and reconstruction in Iraq. I wish to take this opportunity, on behalf of my country and of my delegation and on my own behalf, to wish him every success in his new capacity. I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for having convened this important meeting. The peace process in Côte d’Ivoire is now at a crucial stage. It is therefore a very timely meeting, and it is necessary for the Council to listen to the briefing and to exchange views on this issue. The Chinese delegation wishes to thank the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, Mr. Diarra, for having come to New York from afar to brief us on recent events in that country. We welcome his presence here, and we thank him for his visit. We deeply appreciate the efforts made by the Government of Côte d’Ivoire to implement the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, to bring about national reconciliation and to maintain national stability. We welcome the joint declaration signed on 4 July between the Côte d’Ivoire national defence and security forces and Forces nouvelles. This declaration undoubtedly is of crucial importance to the peace process in Côte d’Ivoire. We have also noted that the Government of Côte d’Ivoire has already presented the amnesty law to the National Assembly, and we hope it will be adopted very soon. We support the full implementation of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes. China has always closely followed the situation in Côte d’Ivoire. It is our sincere hope that the parties thanking Ambassador Greenstock for his cooperation in the Council and for his personal friendship. We will miss him when he is gone, and we wish him well in his new and very important job. I wish to welcome His Excellency Prime Minister Diarra to the Security Council and to thank him for his readiness to personally inform the Council about the progress in inter-Ivoirian reconciliation process. I also wish to thank him for the warm hospitality he extended to the Security Council mission that visited Abidjan at the beginning of this month and for the substantial discussions the mission was able to have with him. We recognize the important reconciliatory role that the Prime Minister has played to this point. We hope that the progress attained so far solidifies to the point of restoration of State unity, and that the process will gain momentum. We are cautiously optimistic, although some important open questions — such as the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programme, the amnesty law and citizenship — still have to be resolved. In that context, we appreciate very much the briefing on the implementation of DDR this morning. Together with our European partners, and as a member of the Security Council, Germany will continue to accompany and support the peace process. Only yesterday the Council discussed the follow-up to the mission to West Africa and endorsed its recommendations. The message this mission conveyed to all its interlocutors remains the same — the Linas- Marcoussis Agreement has to be implemented, and the Security Council therefore intends to keep the developments in Côte d’Ivoire under close review. We thank the Prime Minister for the comprehensive briefing on the current situation. With his permission, I would like to follow up with a few questions. In his view, when will the nomination of the definitive Ministers of Defence and the Interior take place? Secondly, what effects does the 4 July joint declaration by the Forces armées nationales of Côte d’Ivoire and the Forces nouvelles have on the work of the Government, and is there now a prospect that through a joint military course of action the partition of the country will end soon? What will be the effects on the re-establishment of State and administrative structures in the part of the country controlled by the Mouvement patriotique de Côte d’Ivoire (MPCI)? Are there concrete plans that have been accepted by the Government of National Reconciliation, headed by Prime Minister Diarra. The statement also expressed the resolve to implement the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programme in the country. The Syrian delegation calls on all the parties to fully and expeditiously implement all provisions of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreements in order to ensure full participation and transparency in the country. We welcome the fact that Prime Minister Diarra stressed that very concept in his statement a short while ago. My delegation appreciates the efforts being made by countries members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), by ECOWAS forces and by France on behalf of peace. We also call on donor countries and on international financial institutions to provide the material financial and logistical assistance needed to enable the ECOWAS forces to continue to carry out their mission of ensuring peace and security in the region. My delegation reaffirms its support for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Côte d’Ivoire and for all the specialized agencies and programmes working in the region. We support their efforts to assist Côte d’Ivoire in overcoming the exceptional circumstances that have befallen it in the past few months. My delegation also supports the draft presidential statement on Côte d’Ivoire now before the Security Council that the representative of France was kind enough to introduce.

My delegation wishes the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire and his delegation a warm welcome to New York and to this Security Council meeting. We believe that his presence here reaffirms his Government’s commitment to the tasks that the Council has been carrying out, most particularly the mission to West Africa — especially Côte d’Ivoire — that took place several weeks ago. That mission, headed by Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, took place at a very important time for moving the peace process forward in Côte d’Ivoire. Thus it is no coincidence that it was led by Ambassador Greenstock, who is sitting with us for the last time in the Security Council. My delegation wishes to express to him our affection, our friendship and our appreciation for the work done here during the time when he represented his country. We shared a In that respect, we should like to ask the Prime Minister what progress, in his opinion, is taking place in his country in order to hold those elections as the culminating point in the peace process, from which we hope a new political structure will be consolidated, providing stability to Côte d’Ivoire. Similarly, we call on the senior authorities of Côte d’Ivoire to arrive at a prompt solution with regard to the full composition of the Transitional Government that considers all of its components, in the terms set forth by the Linas-Marcoussis Agreements and by subsequent agreements. Another aspect that will be crucial in the coming months is that related to the adoption of all measures necessary for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programme to move ahead — according to what has been presented to us this morning — and on schedule. Special attention should be devoted to disarming groups of youths in order to ensure security for the populations and to eliminate threats to the political solution that is supported by all the parties in Côte d’Ivoire. The recurring problems of the excessive availability of small arms and light weapons and the use of mercenaries and of child soldiers are viewed by Security Council members as unacceptable, not only in the case of Côte d’Ivoire but throughout the region. Regrettably, that is a situation that prevails in other conflict regions in Africa, including in West Africa. Thus we believe that the Security Council and the rest of the international community must take robust steps to put an end to arms trafficking and to the practice of using mercenaries, and that they should do everything in their power to prevent minors from being recruited as combatants. That will be a guarantee of a future without violence. We hope that presidential statements on Côte d’Ivoire and the statements made in the context of the Security Council missions to Central and Western Africa will be properly followed up. Mercenaries and arms trafficking are critical problems for the region, and they are aggravated by the situation in Liberia. Unfortunately, the violence in Liberia has not subsided and there is no immediate relief in sight. Further fighting and attacks on the civilian population in the capital, Monrovia, have been reported today. In that regard, I would like to ask the Prime Minister how he believes the worsening conflict contribute to the consolidation of the developments that are under way and avoid any pitfalls.

I would like to start by joining my colleagues who have already paid tribute to Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, who is, unfortunately, with us for the last time as he is due to leave. It is a symbolic coincidence that he should be here for the last time today, as we are discussing the Côte d’Ivoire mission, which he led. That was a very successful mission, and made a very significant contribution to our current discussions on that subject. We are looking at Côte d’Ivoire from a different perspective as a result of the success of the mission that he led. I wish Ambassador Greenstock great success in the new tasks that he will be tackling in a very sensitive area. His very significant contribution to the work of the Council when we discussed Iraq will stand him in good stead in his new mission. I hope that we will be seeing Ambassador Greenstock often, since he will be coming back from time to time — wearing a different hat, but still talking to the many friends that he has made here in the Council and elsewhere in the United Nations. I wish him good luck. Turning to Côte d’Ivoire, I would like to welcome, and say that I am very honoured to see, Prime Minister Diarra, Foreign Minister Bamba Mamadou and the entire Ivorian delegation with us this morning. I would like to commend Prime Minister Diarra for the reconciliatory and leadership role that he has been playing in the process of national reconstruction in his country. His presence is also gratifying because it gives an opportunity for the Security Council to address the issue of Côte d’Ivoire once again, with him here to explain some of the points that the Council still needs to be clarified in order to advance and fully support the positive efforts that he has been making. I would like also to say that I am pleased to see Special Representative Albert Tevoedjre. We were very pleased about the teamwork that he established with the Ivorian authorities. That teamwork is, I think, also a factor in the success that we are now experiencing in Côte d’Ivoire. The great achievements made since the inauguration of the Government of National Reconciliation on 13 March 2003, thanks to the efforts of President Laurent Gbagbo and Prime Minister Diarra, are proof of the political will of the Ivorian harmonious, concerted and timely response of the international community is a determining factor if we are to succeed in tackling crises of the dimension of the one in Côte d’Ivoire, as is the case in the entire subregion of West Africa. The efforts of the international community will be incomplete unless they are followed by further action to support the post-conflict period. There is therefore a need for the international community to continue to respond to the appeal made at the donors conference held in Paris on 18 July, bearing in mind that a positive impact on the West African region is directly dependent on the recovery of Côte d’Ivoire. The disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme that has been presented to the Security Council this morning by Prime Minister Diarra will make a positive contribution to peace and stability in Côte d’Ivoire. We therefore support it, and urge the Council to give it very positive consideration. The prevailing situation in Liberia is a matter of concern, as it can have a negative effect on the sustainable peace we are seeing emerging in Côte d’Ivoire. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to reiterate the urgent need for the Council to find a solution to that burning crisis as well. France has presented us with a draft presidential statement that contains elements that I think will have our support. We would be very pleased to approve it later in the Council.

As this is Ambassador Greenstock’s last Security Council meeting in his capacity as the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, I would like, before I address the issue under consideration, to convey to Ambassador Greenstock my delegation’s gratitude for his invaluable contribution to the success of our work. His constant presence, sense of moderation and many talents have had a special impact on our deliberations by helping us to work our way out of difficult situations on numerous occasions. In particular, I would like to commend the momentum he has brought to the work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee. His example should be emulated. This meeting on the situation in Côte d’Ivoire is a further welcome step towards supporting the peace process in that friendly country since the signing of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement. I would like to welcome involves all of us: the people of Côte d’Ivoire, the people of the subregion and us at the international level. We must acknowledge that achieving this joint mission is primarily up to the parties in Côte d’Ivoire themselves. Everyone must work towards peace and national reconciliation, the path towards which has now been charted. The international community has great expectations for the final restoration of normalcy and stability in Côte d’Ivoire, a country in which, regardless of background, every member of the civilian population will be reconciled for the sake of all.

First, I would like to join others in conveying our warm sentiments of friendship and best wishes to Ambassador Greenstock. His contribution to the deliberations of the Security Council was no doubt valuable and will be long remembered. I am sure that his many outstanding qualities will be an asset in his new assignment. It is also my pleasure to join others in welcoming Mr. Seydou Diarra and his delegation to today’s public meeting. Let me also thank the Spanish presidency for convening this meeting. It testifies to the continued and sustained attention that the Security Council gives to the situation in Côte d’Ivoire. The visit to the United Nations of Prime Minister Diarra comes in the wake of the recent mission of the Security Council to the West African subregion, among whose main destinations was Abidjan. Earlier, in April, the Security Council discussed the situation in Côte d’Ivoire in a public meeting, with the participation of a high-level ministerial delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Côte d’Ivoire has a clear road map to peace in the form of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement. The people of Côte d’Ivoire have courageously and wisely opted for that path. The success of the peace process hinges on the faithful implementation of that agreement. That is also the mandate of the Government of national reconciliation. We thank the Prime Minister for his briefing today, which outlined the significant progress made in the implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, as well as some key areas in which work remains to be accomplished. We support the Council’s action. We encourage the authorities and all parties in Côte d’Ivoire to work towards full implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement. We hope that the people of Côte d’Ivoire will be able to achieve the desired objectives of peace Secondly, I welcome the presence here of Prime Minister Diarra because we are fully aware of the importance of his role and of the efforts that he has made to safeguard the road to peace, which has been constructed with patience and tenacity in Côte d’Ivoire, overcoming the numerous obstacles encountered so far. Despite that progress, much remains to be done. We will need to face resolutely the obstacles and dangers, among which is regional instability. I agree with the various speakers preceding me who pointed to the situation in Liberia as a special concern of the Council that could have negative repercussions for the stability of Côte d’Ivoire. We reiterate our full support for strict compliance with the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement and the Accra II Agreement concerning the holding of free and open elections by 2005. We agree that the necessary steps must be taken to avoid a deterioration of the current peaceful situation, in particular — as the Council heard this morning — the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme, which must be carried out without delay. We welcome the fact that the considered and planned steps are being taken. A subject that has always been of special importance to my country is the need to deal with impunity for crimes against human rights. No national reconciliation process can neglect that vital element. Any process of national reconstruction and reconciliation that omits that matter is, in short, a weak reconciliation process. We therefore hope that those guilty of crimes against human rights will be brought to justice — with a dose of realism but also with a determination to see justice done. In particular, we are concerned about the rights of children and the forced recruitment of children as soldiers. Here, efforts need to be made by all sectors. Due to all the reasons I have mentioned, we support the draft presidential statement, and we sincerely wish the Prime Minister and his Government every success in the tasks remaining to ensure stability and peace in Côte d’Ivoire.

At the outset, our delegation would like to join in the warm words and wishes for the respected Ambassador Greenstock. We are grateful to the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, Mr. Diarra, for his briefing on the We are ready to support the draft presidential statement, as prepared on the initiative of the French delegation.

I should like at the outset to join you, Madam President, and other speakers in thanking Ambassador Greenstock for everything he has done with us and among us. We thank him for his interest in, and commitment to, Africa, where he skillfully headed several Security Council missions. On a personal note, we will not soon forget his friendly assistance during Cameroon’s presidency of the Security Council and during consultations on the question of Iraq in October 2002. I should like to thank you, Madam, for having convened this open meeting on the situation in Côte d’Ivoire, which enables us to assess the progress made towards achieving peace and stability in Côte d’Ivoire. The inclusion of this item in the agenda of your presidency attests once again to the ongoing interest of your country in the promotion of international peace and security, in Africa in particular. Indeed, a Security Council mission to West Africa recently visited Côte d’Ivoire. Côte d’Ivoire received it in a manner befitting the body with primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security — with much honour, but also, and most importantly, with a great deal of hope. Today Côte d’Ivoire is returning the favour. Indeed, today the Security Council is meeting with all of Côte d’Ivoire through Mr. Seydou Diarra, consensus Prime Minister and head of the Government of National Reconciliation, who embodies all of the Ivorian social and political sensibilities and is a tangible manifestation of the historical compromise represented by the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement. He enjoys the full confidence of Laurent Gbagbo, President of Côte d’Ivoire. My delegation in turn joins its voice to that of the President of the Security Council and of preceding speakers who have warmly welcomed the consensus Prime Minister, Mr. Seydou Diarra, and to thank and congratulate him for his important statement, which is both a stock-taking of what his Government has achieved and an indication of the actions that remain to be taken. His presence here attests to the degree to which the Ivorian people, who rightfully aspire to peace and seek to restore Côte d’Ivoire to its place in The Parliament will soon consider the amnesty bill, as submitted by the Government and firmly supported by the President of the Republic. The scope of this law is vast, for, as underscored in the governmental communiqué, it will provide for a general pardon that recommends that each citizen make a resolute choice to move beyond self-interest and to embrace mutual tolerance. In that context, Cameroon has no doubt that the programme of the Government of National Reconciliation, supported before the parliament on 28 May, will be continued and that the elections of October 2005 will be elections of transparency — as the Prime Minister said — of reconciliation and of a restored nation. In that regard, restoring the State’s authority by extending the administration throughout the territory is becoming a priority. It is gratifying that the European Commission has approved an immediate recovery programme after the crisis in Côte d’Ivoire. The programme has as its objectives, inter alia, financing the extension of the administration and supporting the process of demobilizing combatants. Côte d’Ivoire finds itself at a crucial time in its history. More than ever before, it needs to enjoy the committed and renewed support of the international community and of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council. In that context, the Council needs to send a strong message to the Ivorian people and leaders and to the entire West Africa subregion — a message clearly reiterating its approval of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, once again underscoring the paramount necessity of its full implementation and urging all Ivorians to refrain from any action that could undermine the momentum towards an emergence from the crisis. Here, I must express our appreciation to the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr. Laurent Gbagbo, for his trust in the Prime Minister and in his Government. We express our encouragement to the Ivorian people and to that country’s vital forces, resolutely committed to and oriented towards reconciliation and national unity. We should like to reaffirm our support for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Côte d’Ivoire and Chairman of the Monitoring Committee for the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, Mr. Albert Tevoedjre. We pay tribute to Nations military liaison presence in Côte d’Ivoire and for welcoming the Security Council’s mission to Abidjan. We also can support the draft presidential statement submitted by France.

I shall now speak in my capacity as representative of Spain. At the outset, I should like to thank the Prime Minister, Mr. Seydou Diarra, for his statement. I shall make a few brief comments. We welcome the progress that has been made in the peace process, and we encourage the country’s authorities to work resolutely — as they are doing — to address the challenges facing the consolidation of the peace. In that regard, during the recent Security Council mission to West Africa, we reaffirmed the importance of implementing the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement as the only way to move forward on the path of peace and reconciliation. Today, once again, we urge all the political forces to implement that Agreement and Accra II. We believe, furthermore, that one of the principal challenges in the current stage is the extension of State authority throughout the country. During our first meeting with the President of the Republic, he indicated to us that he intended to begin sending public officials to the western part of the country in order to restore public services, now that security conditions permit it. We should like to know what progress has been made in that regard, and also how the Government of Côte d’Ivoire contemplates extending State authority to the northern part of the country. We also believe it is important that, in the short term, the appointments of Government posts that are still pending be completed, as well as all high posts of the administration of the Government of Transition and National Reconciliation. Finally, there are two other issues that my delegation considers relevant: the prompt implementation of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programme and, secondly, the parliamentary processing of the amnesty law, since that is an essential element for the return to democratic normalcy, always keeping in view the holding of presidential elections in 2005. I now resume my functions as President of the Security Council. Council members asked a number of questions. With regard to the appointment of the ministers for defence and for security, the Council is aware that, following the Accra II Agreement, a 15-member national security council was established, presided over by the President. I am a member, as are the political parties signatories to the Agreement. From the beginning, I did not want to be involved in the appointment of the ministers for defence and for security. I sought to deal with that issue by making two temporary appointments, and I am working with those individuals. I left the President and the political parties to continue their consultations. Last week, before leaving Abidjan to come to New York, the President, with whom I met, asked me to deal primarily with the appointment of those two individuals. I also met with several political figures who asked me to take various initiatives in that regard, and upon my return I will be making a number of proposals to the President and the national security council, which is empowered to make the appointments. I think that these two weeks of intensive consultations will help to take a number of initiatives. That is what I wanted to say to reassure the Council about the appointment of those two individuals. I believe that much progress has been made with regard to the end of the division of the country into northern, southern and western areas. The regular defence forces, as well as the Forces nouvelles, have agreed that the war is over. We have already sent missions to the north and the west of Côte d’Ivoire. I can tell you now that the west has been completely pacified by the Operation Licorne forces and those of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). We can now say that there are no more weapons in those areas and that we can move about safely. We are seeking above all to bring the population back to those areas to resume their normal activities. In the north of Côte d’Ivoire the situation is still normal. In general, the population stayed in place, although some people were displaced. But in the west, because of the proximity to Liberia, the people had to flee the carnage. That area has now been pacified. Upon my return in August, I propose to undertake a three-week programme of travel throughout those areas, with the various forces involved in Côte d’Ivoire, so as to reassure the population and enable them to return to work. even in Government-controlled areas, a soldier wandering about can be dangerous. The imperatives of security therefore require us to regroup them in such a way as to promote peace so that people and goods can move from Côte d’Ivoire as far as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. This is being done at the moment through the economic corridor that has been put in place and that is functioning very well. The Ambassador of Germany asked about my assessment of the situation in Liberia. We have a long border with Liberia. For years now it has been a turbulent area. We have succeeded thus far in keeping the problem under control and in preventing the war from spilling over into Côte d’Ivoire. Events, however, have been such that we have had to deal with fronts in the north and the west — a great deal for an army that was not ready to wage war. Thanks to the forces of France, the Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Forces armées nationales de Côte d’Ivoire and the Forces nouvelles, we are today together exercising control over the western border. We are doing so while embracing humanitarian issues, that is to say, by welcoming those who are seeking refuge in Côte d’Ivoire. Again, I think we have attempted to attach importance to the humanitarian aspect. We have for years even welcomed many non-Ivorian adults to Ivorian schools, many of whom have been employed in Côte d’Ivoire or joined its public service. However, what we are saying is that we do not want people to cross the border with weapons. In that regard, I believe the Government has given orders to prevent anyone entering the country with weapons. I also believe that it was our duty to do so in order to reassure the people of Côte d’Ivoire. We have to believe that the situation in Liberia will be resolved through the contacts that the Council has. That problem can only be resolved in the subregional context, and with the support of the international community. We in Côte d’Ivoire do not have the capacity to address it ourselves. ECOWAS countries, working with Ghana’s President Kufuor, have certainly taken steps in that regard, but they too need financial and political support from the Security Council and States with interests in Liberia. We still believe that without that we will remain vulnerable to the situation in that country. We are making efforts. Much progress has been made. But that is not all there is to it. There must necessarily be involvement on the part of the international community, especially from with us. That too is our goal. Reconciliation in Côte d’Ivoire will take place not only among Ivorians; it will also include all of our neighbours and the entire international community.

I thank Prime Minister Diarra for his eloquent, realistic and hopeful words. Following consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council. “The Security Council reiterates the need for Ivorian political forces to implement fully and without delay all the provisions of the Linas- Marcoussis Agreement, as well as those of the agreement signed in Accra on 8 March 2003 (‘Accra II’), with a view to open, free and transparent elections being held in 2005. The Council takes note with satisfaction of the formation of a government of national reconciliation and the progress made, particularly the identification of cantonment areas and the delegation of powers to the Prime Minister, and is looking forward to new progress in accordance with the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement. The Council also welcomes the ‘joint declaration by Côte d'Ivoire defence and security forces and the armed forces of the Forces Nouvelles’ of 4 July 2003 (S/2003/704). “The Security Council emphasizes, however, that much remains to be done to achieve the full implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement. In this regard, the Council endorses the recommendations of its mission to West Africa (S/2003/668). The Council calls on Ivorian political forces to redouble their efforts in the following areas: voting for the amnesty bill submitted to the National Assembly by the Government, the complete implementation of a ‘disarmament, demobilization and reintegration’ programme, the extension of public services and the authority of the State to areas still under control of the Forces Nouvelles, the appointment of ministers for defence and interior security, the guarantee of equal security for all ministers, the dismantling of militias throughout the country and the termination of the activities of mercenaries and of the purchase of weapons. This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2003/11. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on the agenda.