UN 'remains vigilant' in I Coast
2005-06-08 11:19
New York - The United Nations (UN) security council on Tuesday strongly condemned the massacre of civilians in the past week in the western Ivory Coast town of Duekoue, and urged Ivorian authorities to launch an immediate inquiry.
The 15-member nation council called on all parties in Ivory Coast to stop all hostile action, warning them not to escalate the violence, France's ambassador to the UN Jean-Marc de la Sabliere said.
Ivorian authorities are responsible for ensuring the security of civilians and for promoting respect for human rights, said de la Sabliere, who is interim council president for June.
"The members of the security council reiterate their full support to the United Nations operation in Cote d'Ivoire, which intervened to work towards the stabilisation of the situation, and to the French forces who supported this intervention," he said.
The security council will "remain vigilant" and closely follow security developments in the area and throughout Ivory Coast, he said.