allAfrica.com: Côte d'Ivoire: American Embassy's National Daily Press Review (Page 1 of 1)

This daily press review is compiled by the Information Section of the Public Affairs Office of the American Embassy in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

The disarmament, the identification process, the elections, the contributions of the Ouagadougou agreement to the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire are the main front-stories in today's Ivorian dailies.

1. Fraternite Matin (a state-owned daily): After one year, the spokesman of the 'Forces Nouvelles', Sidiki Konate, assesses the results of the Ougadougou peace agreement. 'The Forces Nouvelles hail the notable advances of the Ouagadougou agreement', he said during a press conference. In a separate article, he stated that the Forces Nouvelles do not intend to block the disarmament process.

2. At the outcome of the fifth meeting about the identification process, chaired by the Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice, Mamadou Kone, declared on behalf of the PM that the identification process will be effective according to the adopted methods. He added that the process will involve all the stakeholders of the rebuilding of the identification data. In the afternoon, a delegation of the United Nations Organization's African Division of the Peace-keeping Department led by the Director a. i. met with the MP. In Cote d'Ivoire for a few days, he reported that he has a good idea of the peace process.

3. Notre Voie (a daily close to the ruling FPI party): A headline in the front of the paper read: 'Elections security: The United States offer their expertise'. Reporting after a meeting between the Minister of Interior, Desire Tagro, and the US Ambassador, Wanda Nesbitt, the paper said that the American diplomat indicated that the discussion focused on the program initiated by the State Department of the United States for the state security issues management. According to the paper, the Ambassador also underlined that this program, may be addressed to the National Police.

4. The Spokesman of the 'Forces Nouvelles', Konate Sidiki, clarified the position of the 'Ex-rebellion' party about the Ouagadougou agreement, signed a year ago. 'The Forces Nouvelles do not intend to block or to escape from the disarmament process. But, the process is slowed down due to technical difficulties', he declared.

5. Le Nouveau Reveil (a daily close to the former ruling PDCI-RDA party): A front page headline read: 'Disarmament, identification, administration redeployment, and 'centralization of collection of public funds (unicité de caisse). The paper reported that the Forces Nouvelles respond to Gbagbo and the ruling party FPI. In a press conference, Sidiki Konate, the spokesman of the Forces Nouvelles gave the historical background of the Ouagadougou peace agreement, and focused on the effective advances of the agreement on a national scale including the public hearings (audiences foraines), the identification process, the restoration of the government authority, the administration redeployment, and the 'centralization of collection of public funds (unicité de caisse). He concluded: '...after only one year of the Ouagadougou Peace Agreement, the Forces Nouvelles congratulate the president Laurent Gbagbo and the Prime Minister for their commitment to apply fully the measures of the agreement together and involving the other political parties in order to achieve peace'.

6. Nord-Sud Quotidien (a pro-opposition paper): This paper also focuses on the elections and the Ouagadougou peace agreement. An article reported that the Ouagadougou peace agreement allowed the political parties to resume their activities. The freedom of organizing meetings have become a reality. It pointed out the different meetings organized by the parties throughout the country.

7. During their third conference, the Forces Nouvelles reasserted in a headline: 'No political willingness to block the disarmament'. The PM's Counselor, Alain Lobognon, and Konate Sidiki, the Forces Nouvelles spokesman 'are optimistic about the ending of the crisis' reported the paper.

8. Le Patriote (a daily close to the RDR party): This daily reported on the assessment of the Ouagadougou peace agreement after one year, by the Forces Nouvelles. The party spokesman asserted: 'The Ouagadougou agreement is more than a symbol'. He reported that he is pleased with the achievements of the agreement.

9. Soir Info (an independent daily): The paper reported about a meeting between the US Ambassador Wanda Nesbitt and the Minister of Interior, Desire Tagro on March Wednesday 12, 2008. According to the daily, the US diplomat stated that the discussion dealt with the assistance of foreign countries for secure elections in Cote d'Ivoire. 'Considering the situation, we discussed about the organization of the police to secure the forthcoming elections', reported the paper.

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