VZCZCXRO9539
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHAB #0315/01 0821657
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 231657Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1124
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 1314
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0283

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABIDJAN 000315 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
KINSHASA PASS TO BRAZZAVILLE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL IV
SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: VISIT OF DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY 
LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD 
 
REF: A. ABIDJAN 179 
     ¶B. ABIDJAN 228 
 
Classified By: POL/ECON Jin Wojtasiewicz, reasons 1-4 (B) and (D). 
 
¶1. (C) Deputy Assistant Secretary Linda Thomas-Greenfield 
made a very productive visit to Abidjan March 15-17.  She met 
with leaders and top officials from all parts of the 
political spectrum.  Her Ivoirian interlocutors praised 
highly the intensity of U.S. engagement here, and appealed 
for even more support for their peace process.  DAS 
Thomas-Greenfield reaffirmed U.S. commitment to facilitating 
that process in any way we can, while underscoring that 
ultimately it is up to the Ivoirians to lead themselves to 
peace.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (C) Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary 
for African Affairs, made a very productive visit to Abidjan 
March 15-17.  She met with Prime Minister Banny; Guillaume 
Soro, Secretary General of the rebel New Forces (FN); Sarata 
Ottro-Toure, President Gbagbo's Deputy Cabinet Director; 
Mambe Beugre, Chairman of the Independent Electoral 
Commission; a group of leaders of political opposition 
parties; Largato Ouattara, Secretary General in the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs; and Charles Koffi Diby, Secretary General 
of the Ministry of Finance.  She also attended a dinner 
hosted by the Ambassador with Ministers of Foreign Affairs 
from South Africa and the Republic of the Congo, the French 
Minister of Cooperation, and the UN Special Representative of 
the Secretary General. 
 
¶3. (C) All of her Ivoirian interlocutors had high praise for 
the intensity of U.S. engagement in Cote d'Ivoire, citing in 
particular the Ambassador's recent trip to the 
rebel-controlled north (ref A) as an important contribution 
toward the reunification of the country.  The Ivoirians 
appealed for the United States and the rest of the 
international community to remain engaged in the Ivoirian 
peace process.  DAS Thomas-Greenfield reaffirmed U.S. support 
for peace and reconciliation for all of Cote d'Ivoire.  She 
noted the importance of resolving Cote d'Ivoire's political 
crisis for the stability of all of West Africa.  She stressed 
that the United States does not take sides, and urged 
Ivoirians to understand that ultimately it is up to them to 
resolve their crisis -- the international community can and 
will help, but we cannot impose peace in Cote d'Ivoire. 
 
¶4. (C) Her meeting with rebel leader Guillaume Soro was a 
historic one, the first time a senior official from 
Washington has met with him.  Soro was accompanied by his 
military chief of staff and three FN ministers from Prime 
Minister Banny's new government. Soro stressed the importance 
for the FN of completing the process of issuing 
identification cards to all Ivoirians.  He noted that this 
was the reason why the FN took up arms in the first place, to 
claim the right of all Ivoirians to be given a document 
affirming their citizenship.  He also underscored the 
importance of making jobs available for FN soldiers after 
they disarm.  Soro was upbeat about the recent resumption of 
direct talks between the Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire 
(FANCI) and the Armed Forces of the FN (FAFN), especially 
about the prospects for creating a combined joint staff as a 
first step toward integrating and restructuring the two armed 
forces. 
 
¶5. (C) DAS Thomas-Greenfield's meeting with the Chairman of 
the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) was also the first 
time any U.S. official has met with the new CEI leadership. 
Chairman Beugre was accompanied by eight of the other eleven 
members of the new CEI Executive Bureau, representing all 
parts of the political spectrum.  Each one spoke, one-by-one 
pledging to work in a spirit of consensus to bring about 
fair, transparent and democratic elections, and appealing for 
the United States and the international community to help 
them find the necessary resources to do so.  This meeting 
received extensive coverage on Ivoirian television and in the 
local newspapers. 
 
¶6. (C) Presidential Advisor Ottor-Toure, like Soro, was 
upbeat about prospects for peace, and about the recently 
resumed military-to-military dialogue including discussion of 
the creation of a combined joint command.  She, like all of 
DAS Thomas-Greenfield's other Ivoirian interlocutors, hailed 
the Ambassador's recent trip to the North as an important 
step toward healing the country's wounds.  She noted that at 
a recent Cabinet meeting, Soro had invited President Gbagbo 
to visit the rebel capital of Bouake and Gbagbo said he 
would, when he can call upon all Ivoirians who fled after the 
 
ABIDJAN 00000315  002 OF 002 
 
 
2002 rebellion to return to their homes.  Ottro-Toure 
confirmed that the National Assembly, whose mandate expired 
December 16 but was extended by President Gbagbo, would not 
take up any controversial legislation but only routine 
matters like the 2006 budget. 
 
¶7. (C) The leaders of political opposition parties were 
encouraged by the February 28 summit of Ivoirian political 
leaders in Yamoussoukro (ref B), but were somewhat skeptical 
about President Gbagbo's real intentions and repeatedly drew 
attention to the fact that nothing has been done to dismantle 
the pro-Gbagbo militias.  They expressed support for the idea 
of a combined joint command between the FANCI and the FAFN. 
They appealed for the United States and the international 
community to help facilitate the process of issuing 
identification cards and to make sure the upcoming elections 
are truly free, fair and democratic.  They also called for 
more troops for UNOCI, to support these efforts. 
 
(C) Comment.  DAS Thomas-Greenfield's visit encouraginged all 
sides to move forward with the peace process and reaffirmed 
U.S. support for that process, while making clear that we can 
only be facilitators, the Ivoirians must lead themselves out 
of this crisis.  The fact that she came here underscored U.S. 
commitment to facilitate the Ivoirian peace process in any 
way we can.  End Comment. 
 
Hooks