US, France Divided On Who Needs Them Most – Liberia or Cote d’Ivoire

New Democrat (Monrovia)

24 May 2011

Washington and Paris are divided on which country–Liberia or Cote d’Ivoire–faces immediate security threats, with France opting for its former colony while the US is vying for Liberia, according to reports from the UN.

“We must not lose focus on Liberia,” US Ambassador at the UN, Susan Rice, last Friday warned the UN Security Council regarding the return of UNMIL’s attack helicopters back to Liberia after they shifted the balance of power against former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo.

Ambassador Rice contended that with a constitutional referendum on hand, to be followed by presidential and legislative elections, Liberia faces threats, and that the assault helicopters should be maintained in Monrovia, not in Abidjan.

Report: In Friday’s session the U.S. pushed for the helicopters to be taken out of Ivory Coast. U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said Friday that Liberia needed the military assets for the run-up to a national referendum in August and a presidential election later in the year.

But French Ambassador Gerard Araud said the “main threats to destabilization” in the immediate area were in Ivory Coast, where remnants of Gbagbo’s forces are still battling the new president’s army.

Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council decided Friday to maintain peacekeepers in Ivory Coast through at least the end of July, but the U.S. and France disagreed over how long to leave a key helicopter unit in place.

The unanimous 15-0 vote keeps about 9,000 peacekeepers in place as the West African country recovers from conflict following a disputed election.

But the international mission could lose a unit of five helicopters and three peacekeeping infantry companies, numbering about 800 soldiers, at the end of June.

Those forces helped shift the balance of power against strongman Laurent Gbagbo by destroying his arms depots and missile caches. Gbagbo was captured and removed in April to allow the newly elected president, Alassane Ouattara, to extend his control.

Reports say the question could be resolved when U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon provides an updated analysis of the situation, which the council requested by June 15. The council hopes to make the transition to civilian advisers later this year.

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