S/PV.5428 Security Council

Pursuant to the decision taken at the 5426th meeting, I recognize the presence of His Excellency Mr. Konan Banny, Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire. The Security Council will now continue its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Following consultations among the members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Security Council commends Prime Minister Konan Banny for his initiatives, taken in cooperation with President Laurent Gbagbo, which have injected a new momentum into the peace process as defined by resolution 1633 (2005) and the road map established by the International Working Group (IWG), and which must lead to the organization of free, open, fair and transparent elections by 31 October 2006. It reiterates to him its full support. “The Security Council expresses its full support for the IWG and endorses its sixth final communiqué, dated 20 April 2006. “The Security Council welcomes the appointment of Mr. Gérard Stoudmann as High Representative for the elections. It encourages him to take all necessary measures, in accordance with his mandate, to expedite the preparation of the electoral process. It calls upon all Ivorian parties to fully cooperate with him. “The Security Council, while taking note of the progress achieved, expresses its grave concern at the serious delay in the implementation of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programme and of the identification operations. It recalls the commitments made by the main Ivorian political leaders in this regard at their meeting in Abidjan on 8 April 2006 (Yamoussoukro II), under the auspices of the Chair of the African Union. It urges them to fulfil these commitments without delay. “The Security Council shares the concern expressed by the Secretary-General in paragraph 74 of his report dated 11 April 2006 (S/2006/222), over the consequences of any additional delays in the implementation of the key deadlines of the road map. “The Security Council invites therefore the Prime Minister and the Government of National Reconciliation he leads to take immediately all the measures necessary to the simultaneous implementation of the DDR and identification operations. It also invites the IWG, in accordance with paragraph 10 of resolution 1633 (2005), to report to it any hindrance or difficulty which the Prime Minister may face in implementing his tasks. “The Security Council will continue to evaluate and monitor closely the implementation of the road map, in particular the DDR and identification operations. It continues to underline that targeted measures are to be imposed against persons to be designated by the Committee established by paragraph 14 of resolution 1572 (2004) who among other things block the implementation of the peace process, including by attacking or obstructing the action of UNOCI, of the French forces, of the High Representative for the elections or of the International Working Group, or who incite publicly hatred and violence, as provided in resolutions 1572 (2004) and 1643 (2005).” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2006/20. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on the agenda.