Situation in Cote d'Ivoire

Philip J. Crowley

Assistant Secretary

MR. CROWLEY: Good afternoon and welcome to the Department of State. Just a couple of things to mention before taking your questions. This morning there was a communiqué issued by the African Union and ECOWAS regarding the situation in Cote d'Ivoire. We are evaluating this communiqué, including its highlighting President Gbagbo’s promise to lift the blockades surrounding the Gulf Hotel and President-elect Ouattara’s willingness to ensure a dignified exit for President Gbagbo if he accepts Ouattara’s victory. And we continue, obviously, to support the ongoing diplomatic efforts of the AU and ECOWAS.

It is important to democracy, peace, and security in West Africa that President Gbagbo peacefully yield power, and any resolution to the current standoff must begin with the internationally endorsed acknowledgement that Alassane Ouattara has won the presidential election in November. To date, President Gbagbo has refused to acknowledge that victory. And no resolution should include a power-sharing arrangement between President-elect Ouattara and former President Gbagbo.

QUESTION: Can we stay on this just for a second?

MR. CROWLEY: Sure.

QUESTION: Why – why should no resolution not have a power-sharing agreement?

MR. CROWLEY: Well, that would overturn the --

QUESTION: One of the --

MR. CROWLEY: Okay.

QUESTION: What happened – one of the people who was there on behalf of the AU was a guy named Raila Odinga, who happened to – happened to have been involved in his own election across the other side of the continent --

MR. CROWLEY: Yes, indeed.

QUESTION: -- in Kenya, which ended in a power-sharing agreement after much violence, less violence than I think may have happened in the Ivory Coast. Why is it – why are you ruling out a power-sharing deal here?

MR. CROWLEY: Well, quite simply, the results of the election were clear. To quote a former president, elections have consequences. No one disputes the results of the election besides President Gbagbo. And we believe that for the future of democracy in Cote d'Ivoire and West Africa that he should step down. And that is why we continue to support diplomatic efforts to resolve that with the peaceful transfer of power to Mr. Ouattara.

QUESTION: Well, why is a power-sharing deal okay in Kenya, or for that matter in Zimbabwe, and it’s not here?

MR. CROWLEY: Because you’ve had a clear election result, and we believe for the future of this country this is the best result for Cote d'Ivoire.

QUESTION: Was it --

MR. CROWLEY: Can I finish a couple things first?

QUESTION: Sure, so sorry. But it’s on Cote d'Ivoire.

MR. CROWLEY: Okay.

QUESTION: Was it the French who asked the United States to consider giving Mr. Gbagbo asylum?

MR. CROWLEY: Well, I’m not suggesting that such an offer exists. Another aspect of consequences is the ongoing situation on the ground, which has resulted since the election in the deaths of a great number of people, and much of this violence has been perpetrated at the behest of President Gbagbo.

So one of the things that we’ve made clear is that President Gbagbo has many options for departing Cote d'Ivoire. And as the communiqué makes clear, there is still the opportunity for a dignified exit. But there should be consequences for the – for what has occurred in Cote d'Ivoire and the violence that has resulted from the failure to recognize the results of the election. But so --

QUESTION: Are you --

MR. CROWLEY: But President – nothing is preventing President Gbagbo from leaving Cote d'Ivoire. And as we’ve said, we are – we don’t know where he might go. But we believe at this point it’s important for him to leave soon, and the opportunity for him to leave with a dignified exit is an opportunity that is a – that window is closing fast.

QUESTION: I may have misread, but there’s a New York Times article from Friday quoting you saying that there is an offer for him to come to the United States. Is that – did I misread or is it – could you clarify what is the offer if – I mean, or what is being discussed?

MR. CROWLEY: Maybe I misunderstood the question that you were asking. We have signaled to him that if he wanted to come to the United States, we were prepared to discuss that possibility. A number of countries have made similar gestures to President Gbagbo. But that said, in the intervening time since we made our position known, he is responsible for what has occurred in Cote d'Ivoire over the past few weeks. And anything that might be contemplated would have to take into account what has happened in Cote d'Ivoire since the election.

QUESTION: So from your earlier comment, it makes it sounds as though you think that he should be – if there are charges to be brought or prosecution or anything on the human rights side, that those should follow him to wherever he may end up.

MR. CROWLEY: I mean, leaders are responsible for the security of their country and the safety of their people. And where there have been violations of human rights, of course, leaders should be held accountable in whatever country that might occur, including Cote d’Ivoire.

QUESTION: So any dignified exit that might be contemplated for him would be essentially, potentially, an exit into a court?

MR. CROWLEY: Again, let me reiterate what we’ve said all along. We want to see a peaceful transition of leadership to President-elect Ouattara. We continue to support all efforts to see President Gbagbo leave Cote d’Ivoire. If he is interested in coming to the United States – and quite honestly, there’s no indication that he is – we would entertain that as a means of resolving the current situation. But any consideration of travel to the United States would have to take into account what has happened on the ground in the past few weeks.

QUESTION: I don’t understand the urgency of him – for him – it’s important for him to leave and as soon as possible, soon. What is the urgency here, where you have a situation in Zimbabwe where a man – President Mugabe – has reaped far more repression and havoc on his country? Why aren’t you – why don’t you call for him to leave?

MR. CROWLEY: Well, I --

QUESTION: Why don’t you call for – I don’t understand – this is hypocrisy.

MR. CROWLEY: We have many times said that Zimbabwe is certainly entitled to a more responsible leader than President Mugabe. I think you would have – I would avoid – I mean, we the United States support democratic elections and peaceful transfers of power. We acknowledge that in various parts of the world there are despotic leaders who are clinging to power through the manipulation of the existing system, and President Mugabe certainly is guilty of that. We want to see the expansion of political opportunity in Zimbabwe, just as we do in many other countries.

At some point you’ve got to start somewhere, and we have an election in Cote d’Ivoire. The international community, from the United Nations to the United States, has recognized the results. The leaders in the region, demonstrated by the delegation that was in Abidjan yesterday representing the AU and ECOWAS, is making it clear that in West Africa they are standing for democracy, and we support that effort.

QUESTION: So does that communiqué that you just referred to – sorry I don’t know this – include power sharing? Is that what they’re saying?

MR. CROWLEY: It does not mention power sharing.

QUESTION: Is anyone at this point proposing power sharing?

MR. CROWLEY: I believe ECOWAS has been on the record, as have we; we do not favor a power-sharing arrangement in Cote d’Ivoire.

Let me – I just wanted to mention a couple of things. Acting Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Frank Ruggiero will travel later this week to those countries, a trip that Ambassador Richard Holbrooke had planned to make after the new year. He will meet with government officials, representatives of civil society, and the media. And it will focus on preparations for the upcoming U.S.-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral meeting scheduled to take place in Washington next month. He will reaffirm the United States commitment to the people of Pakistan and will continue to support Pakistan’s efforts to ensure greater peace, security, and stability in the region, now and in the future. And he will also reiterate in Afghanistan the President’s commitment to a transition to full Afghan lead for security that will begin this year and conclude in 2014.