S/PV.5606 Security Council

The President (spoke in Arabic): The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. I should like to draw members' attention to document S/2006/950, which contains the text of a letter from the Secretary-General dated 7 December 2006 addressed to the President of the Security Council. Following consultations among members of the Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: "The Security Council reiterates its full support for the International Working Group (IWG), recalls its role as guarantor and impartial arbiter of the peace process, and endorses its final communique of 1 December 2006. It also encourages the IWG to promote enhanced dialogue with all Ivorian parties. It insists that all Ivorian parties apply, under the direction of the Prime Minister, the implementation timeline for the road map drawn up by the IWG. "The Security Council shares the grave concern expressed by the IWG at delays in the implementation of resolution 1721 (2006), and urges all Ivorian parties to cooperate fully with the Prime Minister in order to implement all the provisions of the road map drawn up by the IWG and referred to in resolution 1721 (2006), including the identification of population and the registration of voters, and the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programme, which are central to the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire. "The Security Council, bearing in mind provisions of resolution 1572 (2004), recalls that the neutrality and impartiality of the public media are essential to the peace process, and supports the IWG, which considered that it is indispensable to reinstate the dismissed officials of Radio Television Ivoirienne and Fraternite Matin. It recalls also that obstacles to the freedom of movement of the impartial forces, in particular those put up by the Republican Guard, are unacceptable. "The Security Council reiterates its full support for the Prime Minister, Mr. Charles Konan Banny. It strongly encourages him to continue his endeavours, in consultation with President Laurent Gbagbo, including his efforts to fight impunity and promote good governance, and to utilize all the powers referred to in resolution 1721 (2006) to prepare for elections, which must be held by 31 October 2007 at the latest. The Council welcomes in this regard the announcement by the Prime Minister of immediate measures to relaunch the identification process, and expects more concrete measures in place to implement the DDR programme. The Security Council reaffirms that the Prime Minister must exercise his powers without hindrance, including his authority over the Defence and Security Forces referred to in resolution 1721 (2006), and calls upon all Ivorian parties to support his efforts. "The Security Council invites the African Union Mediator to visit C6te d'Ivoire to relaunch the peace process as soon as possible, if necessary in cooperation with all other African leaders. "The Security Council requests the IWG, in preparation for its next meeting on 12 January 2007, to provide a detailed updated timeline on the implementation of the peace process, and all the recommendations needed for the consideration of the situation by the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union by 1 February 2007 at the latest. "The Security Council reiterates its full support for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Pierre Schori, for the High Representative for the elections, Mr. Gerard Stoudmann, and for the United Nations Operation 06-67749 in Cote d'Ivoire, as well as for the French forces which support it." This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2006/58. 06-67749 The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meeting rose at 1.15 p.m.