A front-page headline in Fraternite Matin says the UN Security Council on Thursday renewed the mandate of its peacekeeping force in Cote d'Ivoire. According to the paper (p. 7), the Security Council has also decided to cut a battalion from UNOCI's military component, leaving 8,837 soldiers, while keeping the police component unchanged at 1,555. The report further says that the Security Council has added three armed helicopters to the UN force in Cote d'Ivoire, which will be taken from the UN Mission in Liberia. The three helicopters, reports the paper, will to be used to patrol the border between the two countries.

This daily press review is compiled by the Information Section of the Public Affairs Office of the American Embassy in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. The opinions expressed in these reviews in no way reflect the views of the United States Government and are presented for informational purposes only. The accuracy of reports contained in this summary has not been confirmed by the Embassy.