Brussels, 20/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - In a declaration published on 19 May on behalf of the European Union, the Luxembourg Presidency 'takes note of recent developments in Côte d'Ivoire and commends the role played by the African Union and South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, whose decisive action resulted in the remobilisation of the main Ivorian players' (see Europe No. 8950 on the meeting between the EU Troika and ECOWAS). The declaration continues: 'The European Union welcomes the significant progress achieved as a result of the crucial agreement, signed in Pretoria on 6 April 2005 by the Ivorian parties, which intends to enable Côte d'Ivoire to emerge from the political crisis which has paralysed it for over two years. President Gbagbo's decision to authorise the signatories to the Linas-Marcoussis agreement to contest the presidential elections is thus a positive development and an important step towards the reconciliation of the Ivorian people. The signature by the national armed forces of Côte d'Ivoire and the armed forces of the Forces Nouvelles, in Yamoussoukro on 14 May, of an agreement on the process of combatant's disarmament and demobilisation, including a timescale, is also a further step forward in the application of the Pretoria agreement. The parties must now fulfil their respective commitments without delay. The European Union also recalls that the holding of free and transparent elections is the cornerstone of the reconciliation process in Côte d'Ivoire. It appeals to Ivorians, therefore, to make every effort, and to cooperate fully with the international community, particularly with the United Nations, to ensure that those elections, now set for 30 October 2005, can be held normally and that there be no further delay in their preparation. It is important for the legislative reforms agreed in Pretoria as a preliminary to the elections to now be confirmed by the Government and National Assembly of Côte d'Ivoire. To this end, the European Union is in favour of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire's (UNOCI) mandate and resources being increased to allow it to play a larger part in the essential phase of the disarmament process. The European Union also considers that the United Nations should have an active role in organising and monitoring the elections. For its part, the European Union is willing to underpin any progress that may be made in disarming the factions. It is also prepared to grant its support for organising the elections. In any event, the European Union deems international supervision, determining whether international norms and standards have been observed, to be essential for it to re-establish full cooperation with Côte d'Ivoire, along with other international donors which the country needs if it is to return to progress and development.'