P6_TA(2004)0066

Côte d'Ivoire

European Parliament resolution on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Côte d'Ivoire,

- having regard to the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000,

- having regard to the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, signed on 24 January 2003 by all parties to the Côte d'Ivoire civil conflict,

- having regard to the Accra III Agreement, signed on 30 July 2004 by the parties to the conflict, setting up a clear timetable for implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, in particular as concerns political reform and the process of Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR), to prepare the way for free and transparent elections before the end of 2005,

- having regard to the declaration made by the Presidency, on behalf of the European Union, on 7 November 2004,

- having regard to the Joint Statement of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) and the European Union on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire of 8 November 2004,

- having regard to the Communiqué of the 19th Session of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union of 8 November 2004,

- having regard to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's declaration of 9 November 2004,

- having regard to the position adopted by the African Heads of State in Abuja on 12 November 2004, and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1572, which was adopted unanimously on 15 November 2004,

- having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas, on 4 November 2004, the Government of Côte d'Ivoire violated the ceasefire agreement by launching an air attack against rebels in Bouaké and Korhogo in the Zone of Confidence in the north,

B. whereas on 6 November 2004, Government aircraft bombed French peacekeeping forces in the area, killing 9 and wounding 31, leading the French to destroy most of the country's air force, and leading in turn to pro-government militants taking to the streets in Abidjan, harassing and intimidating foreigners, setting fire to French schools and looting French property,

C. whereas French forces and the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), amounting to some 10000 troops in total, are monitoring the Zone of Confidence and are authorised to use all necessary means to prevent hostile action,

D. whereas eight opposition newspapers have been banned by the Ivoirian authorities, several private newspapers have been looted and vandalised by pro-government militants and international radio transmissions have been sabotaged, and whereas state-owned radio and television broadcasts have incited the population to ethnic violence and xenophobia, causing a mass exodus of foreign nationals,

E. whereas the destabilisation of Côte d'Ivoire has long-standing and deep-rooted causes, including the deterioration in its economic and social situation,

F. whereas the continuing violence has grave consequences on the already serious humanitarian situation in the country, in which almost one million Ivoirians are dependent on international humanitarian aid, as many humanitarian missions have been suspended, and whereas the violence and the increasing risk of mass displacement of Ivoirians could destabilise the wider West Africa region, in particular Liberia,

G. whereas insufficient international funding is also exacerbating the humanitarian crisis,

H. whereas the Accra III Agreement provides for the disarmament of the rebel forces and militia by 15 October 2004 and this has not occurred,

I. whereas neither the deadlines for political reform nor those for disarmament foreseen by the Accra III Agreement have been upheld by the parties to the conflict,

J. whereas neither a referendum nor free and fair elections can validly be organised unless the country is reunified,

K. whereas commitments relating to human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law, all essential pillars of the Cotonou Agreement, have not been respected,

L. whereas a new diplomatic chapter has been opened in South Africa in order to find a political solution to the crisis, through the mediation of South African President Mbeki,

1. Welcomes, following the position adopted by the African Heads of State who met in Abuja on 12 November 2004, the Security Council's resolution to impose an immediate embargo on arms which, unless the parties take action in accordance with the agreements, provides for a freeze on financial assets and restrictions on travel abroad of any person who continues to threaten the peace process and national reconciliation in the country, and which demands that the Ivoirian authorities stop all radio and television broadcasting inciting hatred, intolerance and violence;

2. Pays tribute to the memory of all the victims of recent developments in the situation following the breaking of the ceasefire agreements, expresses its sympathy to the families of the victims — Ivoirian, African and French — of these acts of violence, in particular those committed against women; condemns the violence and acts of xenophobia and pillaging, and calls on the Ivoirian Government to put an end to these abuses and to the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators and instigators of such acts;

3. Urges all parties to the conflict to:

- put an immediate end to military action and other hostile acts,

- stop targeting and attacking civilians including humanitarian aid workers, irrespective of their ethnicity, nationality or religion,

- desist from, and take action against, instances of incitement to hatred and violence,

- recommit to dialogue and negotiations, and to respect and implement commitments;

4. Welcomes the mandate given by the African Union and Ecowas to South African President Thabo Mbeki to mediate between the parties to the conflict and the African Union's involvement with a view to finding a political solution to the Ivoirian crisis, and expresses its full support to the African Union, Ecowas, and the United Nations in seeking a rapid and lasting solution to the current crisis;

5. Regrets the fact that the current composition of the peacekeeping forces is not sufficiently multinational;

6. Calls on the EU Member States to take an active part in supporting the peacekeeping mission conducted by the UN and France and regrets that the Licorne mission, carried out exclusively by French forces, has not included a European component;

7. Condemns the destruction of the premises of opposition parties and newspapers and the acts of sabotage against foreign radio transmitters;

8. Calls on the Government of Côte d'Ivoire and the representatives of the Forces Nouvelles to implement the Accra III Agreement, to take all necessary measures in order to restore the rule of law, and to uphold and safeguard human rights;

9. Calls on the Council, with regard to conflict prevention, to fight the underlying causes of the crisis, in particular the economic and social causes, and to support the deployment of African Union peacekeeping forces, in the context of the EDF "peace facility"; calls on the EU and the international community to step up funding for humanitarian aid in Côte d'Ivoire as soon as the conditions allow for increased, and desperately needed, operations;

10. Calls on the Council, in this context, to consider consultations between the EU and Côte d'Ivoire under Articles 9 and 96 of the Cotonou Agreement;

11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Secretaries-General of the UN, the African Union and Ecowas, and the President and Government of Côte d'Ivoire.

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