PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Cote d'Ivoire: Ouattara rejects designation of José Brito as AU high representative
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (PANA) - The world-acclaimed Ivorian president-elect, Alassane Ouattara has rejected the designation of Cape Verdian José Brito as the high representative of the African Union (AU) in charge of implementing the overall policy as decided by the Peace and Security Council (CPS).
In a statement issued Saturday by his services, Mr. Ouattara "firmly regrets being neither consulted nor approached in a spirit of consensus, as it was expected in such issue" and as promised by the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping.
Ouattara also expressed surprise at the designation of former Cape Verdian Foreign Affairs Minister in that duty, seeing his "personal relations" and "political ties," known to all Côte d’Ivoire with incumbent Laurent Gbagbo.
According to him, that decision does not "comply with the will to designate a former president in this duty."
On 10 March in Addis Ababa, CPS had, at the close of its proceedings, adopted the principle of the designation of a high representative who should, within two-weeks, undertake negotiations with all Ivorian parties to draft an out-of-crisis agreement on the basis of the proposals from the high-level panel.
Sources said the panel’s proposals, as decided by CPS, included the granting of all necessary guarantees to the concerned stakeholders, particularly the incumbent, Gbagbo.
However, the supporters of Gbagbo, who also claimed victory, have described as "unacceptable" those out of crisis proposals, arguing on sovereignty and defence of the country’s constitution.
-0- PANA BAL/SSB/MSA/BOS 27March2011
In a statement issued Saturday by his services, Mr. Ouattara "firmly regrets being neither consulted nor approached in a spirit of consensus, as it was expected in such issue" and as promised by the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping.
Ouattara also expressed surprise at the designation of former Cape Verdian Foreign Affairs Minister in that duty, seeing his "personal relations" and "political ties," known to all Côte d’Ivoire with incumbent Laurent Gbagbo.
According to him, that decision does not "comply with the will to designate a former president in this duty."
On 10 March in Addis Ababa, CPS had, at the close of its proceedings, adopted the principle of the designation of a high representative who should, within two-weeks, undertake negotiations with all Ivorian parties to draft an out-of-crisis agreement on the basis of the proposals from the high-level panel.
Sources said the panel’s proposals, as decided by CPS, included the granting of all necessary guarantees to the concerned stakeholders, particularly the incumbent, Gbagbo.
However, the supporters of Gbagbo, who also claimed victory, have described as "unacceptable" those out of crisis proposals, arguing on sovereignty and defence of the country’s constitution.
-0- PANA BAL/SSB/MSA/BOS 27March2011
