S/PV.5281 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Côte d’Ivoire, in which he requests to be invited to participate in the consideration of the item on the Council’s agenda. In accordance with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite that representative to participate in the consideration without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided.

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. After consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Security Council heard a briefing by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, Mr. Oluyemi Adenidji; the Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union, Mr. Said Djinnit; the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Pierre Schori; and the High Representative for the Elections, Mr. Antonio Monteiro, during its meeting on 13 October 2005. “The Security Council appreciates the efforts of the African Union, in particular President Thabo Mbeki of the Republic of South Africa and President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Chair of the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the leaders of the region, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the High Representative for the Elections to promote peace and stability in Côte d’Ivoire, and reiterates its full support for these efforts. “The Security Council endorses the decision of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire adopted at its fortieth meeting at the level of heads of State and Government held on 6 October 2005 in Addis Ababa (S/2005/639), expresses its intention to take rapidly the necessary measures to support as appropriate its implementation in order to organize free, fair, open, transparent and credible elections as soon as possible and no later than 30 October 2006, and looks forward to regular reports on its implementation in accordance with paragraph 10, article (v) of the decision of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union. “The Security Council takes note, in particular, of the Peace and Security Council's request for an increase in the strength of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), without prejudice to any future decision or commitment of the Security Council in this regard. The Security Council expresses its intention to consider whether to provide additional resources to UNOCI, based on careful study of conditions in the country and of evidence of meaningful progress towards implementation of long-standing commitments under Linas-Marcoussis and other relevant agreements. “The Security Council reaffirms that it endorsed the Linas-Marcoussis, Accra III and Pretoria Agreements, and demands that all the parties signatory to these agreements, as well as all the Ivorian parties concerned, implement fully and without delay their commitments under these agreements, in accordance with the decision of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union. “The Security Council welcomes the forthcoming visit of a high-level delegation led by Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Thabo Mbeki to Côte d'Ivoire, expresses its full support to it, and urges all the Ivorian parties to cooperate fully and in good faith with this delegation, in particular in order to ensure the rapid implementation of the decision of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and the early appointment of a Prime Minister acceptable to all parties, and to guarantee, with the support of the United Nations, the organization of free, fair, open, transparent and credible elections. “The Security Council expresses its full support for the forthcoming visit to the region of the Chair of the Sanctions Committee established pursuant to resolution 1572 (2004), and underlines that the purpose of this visit is to assess the progress made by all parties towards the implementation of their commitments, bearing in mind the Committee's mandate under paragraphs 9 and 11 of resolution 1572 (2004), and to remind all Ivorian parties of their responsibilities for the full and rapid implementation of the peace process.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2005/49. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.