Abidjan, 16 April 2009...The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) on Thursday invited Ivorian political actors to show restraint and focus on the peace process. In a statement read by its spokesman, Hamadoun Touré, during the Mission's weekly press conference, UNOCI encouraged them to concentrate their energy and efforts on the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. The Spokesman recalled that "the tasks that still need to be executed constitute urgent challenges that have to be overcome in order to organize open, free, fair and democratic elections as soon as possible. It is also imperative to avoid an escalation of verbal confrontation which would only divert attention from the issues that real concern Ivorians with regard to the crisis-resolution process".

Responding to a question on the call by elements of the Forces Nouvelles for the Prime Minister to resign his post, Mr. Touré said that this was an internal matter. "What interests us", he said, "is the institutional framework that has been put in place by the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. We are counting on this system, otherwise we are going to find ourselves in situations which could be beyond our control and take us back".

Earlier, the spokesman had announced that the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, YJ Choi, would be going to New York to take part in the presentation of the UN Secretary-General's 20th Report on UNOCI to the Security Council on 28 April 2009.

As a prelude to this meeting, Mr. Choi had been having consultations with Ivorian political actors. He held talks with Ivorian Prime Minister, Guillaume Soro, and the President of the Rally for Republicans (RDR), Alassane Dramane Ouattara and will also be meeting with other personalities implicated in the search for a peaceful solution to the crisis.

With regard to UNOCI's support to the Ivorian peace process, the Spokesman said that the Mission had given a favourable response to the request made by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for logistical support for the final phase of the identification and voter registration operation scheduled to start next week.
"The head of UNOCI confirmed this agreement with the Chairman of the IEC last Friday and reiterated the Mission's availability to provide assistance to the electoral process in accordance with its mandate and resources", Mr. Toure added. He said that support would be provided to the 200 centres which remain open as well as in all the centres where identification activities would take place. "As long as identification continues, UNOCI will be with the Ivorian people and authorities", reassured Mr. Touré.

Turning to other issues, he announced that UNOCI would be organising a forum in Lakota on Friday, as part of its outreach activities.