Strasbourg, 18/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament, adopted last week a new resolution on the Ivory Coast, deploring that, during the legislative election on 10 December, the candidacy of Mr Ouattara, leader of the "Rassemblement Republicains", was pushed aside for cause of "questionable nationality", "thus excluding a section of the population from the election process". The EP notes that the participation in these elections was extremely low, called on the Ivory Coast authorities to organise new elections as soon as possible. Also, while it calls on the European Commission to continue its assistance to the most vulnerable sections of the population, it invites the EU to "immediately re-examine the cooperation between the EU and the Ivory Coast and, either way, to start, without delay, talks with this country, in accordance with the procedure foreseen under Article 96 of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement (Article that allows to go as far as the suspension of cooperation by the EU with the ACP countries concerned if possible serious violations of human rights and of the rule of law continue despite these talks).