UN chief warns against violence in I.Coast ahead of polls

Wednesday, February 17, 2010
UNITED NATIONS: UN chief Ban Ki-moon called for calm Tuesday in already tense Ivory Coast where presidential polls are being repeatedly delayed, warning against a return to internal unrest.

"The Secretary General urges the Ivorian people to remain calm and avoid resorting to any action that could cause renewed violence," a UN statement said.

"He also calls on the Ivorian political leaders and other national stakeholders to exercise restraint, avoid measures that could return the country to instability, and resolve the current challenges related to the already repeatedly delayed elections through dialogue," it added.

The statement noted that Ban and his special envoy to Ivory Coast, Choi Young-jin, were pursuing consultations with stakeholders after Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo's shock decision Friday to sack the government and ask Prime Minister Guillaume Soro to form a new administration.

Gbagbo also dismissed the head of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), alleging that more than 400,000 names had been fraudulently added to the electoral rolls.

The opposition said most of them are from northern ethnic groups who would not have supported Gbagbo.

But Tuesday Ivory Coast delayed the expected announcement of a new government to allow Soro extended consultations with political parties, his spokesman told media.

The announcement of a new ministerial line-up is expected "before the end of the week," said Sindou Meite, contradicting Gbagbo who said earlier that a new government would be unveiled at 4:00 pm (1600 GMT) Tuesday.

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