Strasbourg, 25/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The president of the European Parliament, Nicole Fontaine, expressed consternation at the dissolution of the National Electoral Commission (CNE) of the Côte d'Ivoire (CNE) and the decision by General Gueï to proclaim himself first President of the 2nd Republic. She regrets that several people have "already paid with their lives their determination to see the result of the ballot upheld". The result reached by the CNE placed Laurent Gbagbo (FPI, Socialist) largely in the lead at the time when it was dissolved. She went on to add: "I condemn the declaration of the state of emergency and the curfew established in Côte d'Ivoire (…) The European Union must immediately draw the consequences and seek to convince General Gueï to go back on his decisions and to allow the CNE to continue counting votes".
Fodé Sylla (GUE, French) and President of the International Federation SOS Racism called, moreover, on the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and on the European Union to "show proof of total determination to isolate General Gueï who has recently seized power in Côte d'Ivoire". He said he hoped the members of the military junta in power would be refused a visa and that their bank assets would be frozen. He also recommends the establishment of an embargo on arms exports for this country. Mr Sylla calls on France to give its support to the opposition in Côte d'Ivoire.