Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-10-09-Speech-3-108"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20021009.8.3-108"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, like the other institutions of the European Union, the Commission has, as you can imagine, been following, the development of events in Côte d’Ivoire very closely since the military uprising began on 19 September. The Union has condemned the threat to institutional legality that Côte d’Ivoire has been experiencing for almost three weeks. At the same time, it has reaffirmed the need to find a political solution that would not exclude any of the opposing parties, in the spirit of the process of national reconciliation which Côte d’Ivoire opened after the serious unrest of 2000 and which the Union supported in principle and with financial support. Thirdly, the Presidency has reiterated that the Union attaches the utmost importance to respect for human rights.
The Commission supports President Gbagbo and his legitimate government, both put in place
by democratic elections. Nevertheless, since the publication of the Union declaration on 24 September, we have not denied that growing concerns have appeared both on the prospect of a political solution and with regard to human rights. The Commission naturally welcomed with great interest the outcome of the summit
of the Economic Committee of West African States in Accra. The creation of a contact group consisting of six Heads of State, and charged with the task of mediating between the government and the rebels led us to believe that a peaceful solution could be reached that would avoid bloodbaths and lasting rifts that fighting on the ground would inevitably entail. This work must have support. The agreement in principle to a cease-fire given to the contact group by President Gbagbo and by the rebels would allow for a certain optimism in putting a cease-fire in place, although nothing had been signed on 4 October. For the time being there has been nothing and government forces resumed fighting against the rebels at Bouaké on Sunday 6 October. The group of mediators, whose alertness, patience and sense of responsibility incidentally we salute, has not concealed its great disappointment and irritation at the Ivorian Government and its behaviour.
The second point of the Union’s declaration of 24 September, with regard to which concerns are again growing, is respect for human rights by the two opposing parties. First of all, the behaviour of the rebels has deteriorated and is still deteriorating more and more, particularly with regard to attacks on property. As for the government, attacks on members of the opposition and signs of xenophobia are increasing to the point where they are becoming very worrying. The circumstances surrounding the death of General Gueï and his wife, members of his family and close relations are suspicious to say the least. Attacks and intimidation against Mr Ouatara, his close relations and many leading members of his party (Rally of the Republicans) will have a lasting negative effect on the process of national reconciliation. Hostility towards foreigners is also becoming increasingly widespread.
Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, do not misunderstand these reminders. Institutional legality in Côte d’Ivoire must be subject to wholehearted support from the international community. This wholehearted support must not, however, be indiscriminate or unconditional.
Madam President, allow me to conclude by expressing the hope that your institution, by virtue of the prestige in the eyes of the Ivorian authorities, uses its influence to convince them, as the Commission is striving to do, that a peaceful solution is the only way forward that is logical and which offers hope."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples