R 061626Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4829
INFO NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 000014 
 
 
STATE FOR S/ES-CR, S/ES-O, AND AF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPDC PREL OVIP IV
SUBJECT: NEW YEAR MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT GBAGBO 
 
¶1. Embassy received by fax a message from President Laurent 
Gbagbo to President Bush on the occasion of the New Year. 
Please find Embassy translation of the original French text 
in paragraph 2. 
 
¶2. Begin translation of text. 
 
To 
His Excellency George Walker Bush 
President of the United States of America 
Washington 
 
Mister President: 
 
The celebration of the New Year 2009 gives me the pleasant 
opportunity to extend to you, on behalf of the Ivoirian 
people and government, and on my own behalf, my best wishes 
for a happy New Year. 
 
I am particularly happy to seize this pleasant opportunity to 
underline how much I appreciate the excellent quality of the 
relations of friendship and cooperation existing between the 
Republic of Cote d'Ivoire and the United States of America, 
as well as the delicate and very much appreciated attention 
that you have given to them throughout your two mandates at 
the highest office of your country. 
 
While expressing to you my profound gratitude, I would like 
to assure you of my determination to continue, with your 
successor, our striving for strengthening the links of 
friendship and cooperation that so fortunately unite our two 
countries, and our noble struggle for the triumph of our 
common ideals of justice, freedom and peace. 
 
With my highest consideration. 
 
Laurent Gbagbo 
President of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire 
 
End translation of text. 
 
 
NESBITT