UN backs sanctions against Ivory Coast

The UN Security Council yesterday gave wide support to a resolution that would impose sanctions against Ivory Coast if the government and rebels don’t return to a peace process by the beginning of December, diplomats said.

France earlier had threatened immediate sanctions against Ivory Coast after the Ivorian jets bombed a French camp in the rebel-held north, killing nine French soldiers and one American. The compromise was added to the proposed resolution to appease China, Pakistan and others.

“It’s much more effective if you hold a gun to their head, rather than pull the trigger,” Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram said.

France’s UN Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sabliere said he expected a vote on the resolution today.

France retaliated by destroying the country’s tiny air force, eliminating a key government advantage over the rebels. Since then, four days of confrontations fuelled by anti-French rage have killed at least 20 more people, wounded 700 and shut down cocoa exports from the world’s largest producer.

De la Sabliere said the compromise is meant to push the government and the rebels to return to two deals: a French-brokered peace deal in January 2003 that established a unity government that gave out ministerial posts to top rebel officials and a July agreement when rebels said disarmament would start no later than October 15.

The Ivory Coast government blew a ceasefire wide open when it bombed rebel sites in the north of Ivory Coast.

The UN draft resolution would call for an arms embargo on Ivory Coast and a travel ban and asset freeze against those blocking peace, violating human rights, and preventing the disarmament of combatants.

De la Sabliere said the delay to December 1 would also give time for mediation efforts by South African President Thabo Mbeki, who travelled to Ivory Coast on behalf of the 54-nation African Union to find a solution to the crisis.

The resolution would create a Security Council committee to adopt a list of people that would be subject to sanctions, and to collect information especially from neighbouring countries on compliance with the embargoes.

The arms embargo and sanctions would remain in effect for one year when the draft calls for a review by the council ”in the light of progress accomplished in the peace and national reconciliation process”.

Yesterday, Mbeki said Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo had recommitted to carrying out tension-easing measures agreed to in past accords in the country’s two-year-old civil war.