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U.S. accepts new ambassador from Cote d’Ivoire

13 January 2011 22:26 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The United States on Thursday denounced interference with the work of the United Nations operation in Cote d’Ivoire by forces loyal to President Laurent Gbagbo, while agreeing to accept a new ambassador named by the incumbent’s rival Alassane Ouattara, APA reports quoting Xinhua News Agency.
"In Cote d’Ivoire, we remain increasingly concerned about the Gbagbo regime inciting violence against United Nations peacekeepers," U.S. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said at a regular press briefing. "Yesterday, his chief of staff, General Philippe Mangou, lied to journalists that UN peacekeepers had abandoned the neighborhood of Abobo, when, in fact, they had remained there the whole night to ensure the protection of civilians, one of their key mandates."
On Wednesday, Gbagbo’s government imposed a three-day curfew in Abobo and Anyama districts, Ouattara’s strongholds, after new violence left six police officers dead.
"We’re conscious of the fact that the UN team came under fire while returning from patrol and returned that fire, three peacekeepers were slightly wounded in the incident," Crowley said.
The spokesman added that security forces loyal to Gbagbo also blocked and looted a supply convoy destined for the Golf Hotel, the temporary headquarters of Ouattara protected by UN peacekeepers.
"We strongly condemn interference with the work of the United Nations’ operation in Cote d’Ivoire, we view this as a violation of the UN Security Council’s sanctions regime," he said.
Gbagbo and Ouattara have been locking horns over the result of the Nov. 28 presidential runoff, plunging the West African state into a political standoff. Despite huge pressure from the international community, Gbagbo has been refusing to cede power to Ouattara, who is widely recognized as the president-elect.
"Today, the United States granted agreement to Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara’s ambassador-designate to the United States, and we look forward to welcoming and working with the ambassador upon his arrival in Washington," Crowley told reporters.
He said he hoped the ambassador would be in Washington in the next couple of weeks.