Military

DATE=03/30/2004

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-314599

TITLE= IVORY COAST / U-N TROOPS (L-ONLY)

BYLINE= CARRIE GIARDINO

DATELINE= ABIDJAN

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The United Nations will begin deploying its peacekeepers in Ivory Coast on schedule despite violent clashes between government forces and political opposition last week. Carrie Giardino reports from Abidjan.

TEXT: Thirty-five officers arrived Tuesday in Abidjan after completing training in Ghana's capital, Accra, as part of an advance party of U-N peacekeepers. Beginning next Sunday, six thousand more troops will begin to deploy.

The United Nations said the deployment schedule has not been changed despite last week's violence, but urged the government to show greater respect for human rights.

Last week, a planned demonstration by opponents of President Laurent Gbagbo turned deadly when security forces fired on civilians. The government has put the number of dead at 37, but opposition leaders have said the death toll could be as high as 600.

U-N spokesman Jean-Victor N'Kolo says there is concern about the violence, but the political instability is an even greater concern.

///N'KOLO ACT///

We obviously are deeply disturbed by the deaths and the injured and the arrests and so on but I think the worst damage could be on the political front. This is what we need to solve, the political problem.

///END ACT///

Northern-based rebels and opposition parties have pulled out of the national unity government, which was set up last year under a French-brokered peace agreement.

Leaders of the opposition bloc accuse President Gbagbo of failing to implement the peace accord and blame him for the civilian deaths caused by government security forces.

Mr. N'Kolo says there are plenty of blame to go around for last week's violence, but the country must look to its future.

///N'KOLO ACT///

It is not because we have had a failure, which has been acknowledged over the past few days, that we should not brace ourselves for even stronger and more determined approach to make sure that there is a solution. In fact, there is no other option for Cote d'Ivoire, for Cote d'Ivoire's neighbors and for the international community but to make sure that this process goes ahead and there is a resumption of talks.

///END ACT///

Opposition parties say they will meet Wednesday to discuss strategy. President Gbagbo has called on them to rejoin the national unity government. (SIGNED)

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