State Department Noon Briefing, Friday, October 19
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2000 12:50 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
Q: Over the weekend, you managed to infuriate the Belarusian
Government with your condemnatory comments about its election, and I'm
wondering if you would like to do the same thing for Ivory Coast,
which is about to have its election on Sunday.
MR. BOUCHER: Well, I think we left Belarus to Mr. Reeker, and I would
be glad to do the Ivory Coast. I think generally on the Ivory Coast we
have expressed ourselves many times over the past few months about the
way the election was shaping up, and you knew that we withdrew our
electoral observers from the Ivory Coast elections that are now
scheduled for October 22nd. We suspended our election-related
assistance to the Ivory Coast as well. US assistance was predicated on
free, fair and inclusive elections taking place.
Recent events have rendered such a process impossible in the Ivory
Coast. We had about $1 million that had been available to support
groups like the National Democratic Institute and their activities
there.
The United Nations, in addition, has repeatedly called for a political
transition that is based on democratic elections for the president and
legislature that are open and transparent. These elections are not.
Earlier this month, the United Nations Secretary General, as did the
United States, deplored the fact that many major opposition candidates
would be excluded from the Ivory Coast presidential elections. In
addition, many countries and organizations, including the Organization
for African Unity, who were originally providing observers and funding
for Sunday's presidential elections, have also withdrawn their
support.
Q: So does it go without saying that you will not recognize the
results of this election?
MR. BOUCHER: I think it goes without saying that we don't see the
whole process shaping up to be free, fair and inclusive. Not
recognizing results is a kind of a different technical question, and I
don't think I can answer at this point.
Q: Well, except that you did say that about Belarus before the
election happened, that you wouldn't recognize the results.
MR. BOUCHER: Well, we don't consider this whole process looking free,
fair and inclusive. But I think that is pretty clear that we don't see
the results as a valid reflection of the expression of the desires and
will of the Ivorian people.
(The briefing was concluded at 1:30 P.M.)
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