VZCZCXRO0638
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHAB #0041 0281849
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 281848Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0074
INFO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0012

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABIDJAN 000041 
 
SIPDIS 
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PASS TO AMEMBASSY MALABO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/01/28 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PREL IV
SUBJECT: SORO: UN AND OTHERS MUST HELP PUSH ELECTORAL PROCESS FORWARD 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Wanda Nesbitt, Ambassador, State, Embassy Abidjan; 
REASON: 1.4(B), (D) 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:   PM Soro acknowledged in a January 26 meeting 
that the electoral process is at a standstill pending resolution of 
fraud allegations against CEI President Mambe.  Soro agreed that 
the electoral process has progressed too far to be permitted to 
unravel and said he would look to the UN to decide whether the 
voter list has been so compromised by Mambe's internal 
cross-checking operation that a radical change of direction is 
needed.  Embassy is consulting with UNOCI and others about helpful 
actions the international community can undertake. End Summary 
 
¶2. (SBU) Ambassador and DCM called on PM Soro primarily to discuss 
a commercial dispute case (Seacor rice shipment) but also sought an 
update on progress towards establishing a final electoral list. 
Ambassador shared the Carter Center's recently published statement, 
noting that we strongly support its key message:  the process has 
not been irrevocably compromised and should go forward, not 
backwards.  Soro agreed but saw little room for progress as long as 
the FPI continues to insist that Mambe resign and the opposition 
insists he remain.  He noted that he does not believe Mambe 
committed fraud, has no proof of fraud and therefore has no basis 
on which to demand the CEI president's resignation. 
 
¶3. (C)  The PM told Emboffs that to assuage FPI concerns about 
fraud, he agreed that they could have 10 days to compile and submit 
the names of "foreigners" currently on the list of "verified" 
voters.  This would be in addition to standing up representative 
committees to oversee the addition to the final list of anyone from 
the "unverified" voters list which contains 1.033 million names. 
Soro was clearly dismayed by recent steps Interior Minister Desire 
Tagro has taken, and which have increased suspicion about the 
motivations of the presidential camp.  Soro thought Tagro should 
not have insisted that the public prosecutor, Raymond Tchimou, 
conduct a judicial inquiry into the allegations of fraud, noting 
that both men are high-ranking members of the FPI and that the 
prosecutor should normally have awaited orders from the Minister of 
Justice.  Whatever this inquiry produces will be suspect.  In 
addition, Soro stated that Tagro instructed the nation's prefects 
in writing to take over the contestation process, although it is 
clearly under the CEI's jurisdiction.   Soro claimed that Tagro 
acted without authorization from President Gbagbo, thus the 
instruction was rescinded, but is a worrisome development and an 
indication that the FPI is prepared to undermine the entire process 
to achieve its objectives. 
 
¶4.  (C)  Asked if the international community should be more vocal, 
Soro responded that he had already written to SRSG Choi, given the 
UN's mandate to certify the election, and to Amb. Badini to solicit 
their help.  If the parties remain intransigent, Soro said, the UN 
and the international community will have to make a judgment about 
who is at fault and what can be done to push the process forward. 
Embassy will consult with UNOCI and advise Department if there are 
actions the USG can take to be helpful. 
NESBITT