Brussels, 18/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - At his meeting in Brussels on Friday with the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire, Affi N'Guessan, the Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Poul Nielson, urged the Ivorian government to maintain its national policy of reconciliation and promotion of democracy, a "prerequisite for lasting stabilisation of the country and hence of the subregion". Mr Neilson added that the government should maintain its focus on the issues of the position of foreigner in Côte d'Ivoire and action against unpunished crimes. He informed the Prime Minister that the Commission is available to support the organisation and observation of the local elections scheduled for July 2002. He also praised the quality of political dialogue between the EU and the Côte d'Ivoire, launched at the beginning of 2001 by the "consultations" provided for in the Cotonou Agreement, saying the dialogue had enabled the EU to support Côte d'Ivoire in its democratisation process, after the troubles of the military period (December 1999-October 2000). Mr Nielson hoped the dialogue and the relations of trust established on this basis would be maintained. Cooperation between the EU and Côte d'Ivoire had been restricted following the coup d'état in December 1999. The contested elections in October and December 2000, which gave rise to clashes resulting in hundreds of victims, then led to a period of "consultations" and enhanced political dialogue. Having laid down political conditions for the resumption of cooperation, the EU then gradually resumed its aid as progress was made towards democracy.