Ivory Coast political impasse hampering peace process, UN

New York, 04 June-(ANA)-The ongoing political impasse in Côte d'Ivoire contributes to heightened tensions and hampers efforts to normalize the situation in the West African nation, a senior United Nations official said today. 

“This political stalemate is hardly encouraging,” Y. J. Choi, the 

Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Côte d'Ivoire, told the Security Council as he briefed the 15-member body on the latest developments. 
 

“Indeed, during the eight years since the outbreak of the crisis, perennial delays in implementing the various peace agreements have been a source of deep frustration for the Ivorian people as well as the international community,” he stated.

“It is all the more so since the elections appeared to be within our grasp until several months ago.”

Côte d’Ivoire, which became split by civil war in 2002 into a rebel-held north and Government-controlled south, was making progress toward the holding of elections – which were supposed to have been held as far back as 2005 but have been repeatedly postponed. 
 
 

The country witnessed the publication of the provisional electoral list throughout the country, the launch of the appeals process, and the validation of all major candidates for the presidential election.(ANA)

FA/ANA/04 June 2010--------