UNITED NATIONS, March 24 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan Wednesday called on all Ivory Coast parties to exercise utmost restraint in upcoming opposing demonstrations.
His chief spokesman at U.N. World Headquarters in New York, Fred Eckhard made the plea for him in a statement Eckhard read aloud as rival factions prepared for demonstrations Thursday in Abidjan, the main commercial center.
The spokesman said the secretary-general called on Ivory Coast political party leaders to show statesmanship and engage in constructive consultations, as recently promised by President Laurent Gbagbo. The aim is to move forward with implementing the letter and spirit of the January 2003 peace pact, the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement, Eckhard said.
Peacekeeping troops from France and the Economic Community of West African States already are stationed in Ivory Coast.
The U.N. Security Council has approved a full peacekeeping mission for Ivory Coast, starting next month.
