14/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - A statement issued on 13 December on behalf of the EU by the British Presidency: 'The European Union notes with satisfaction the nomination of Mr Charles Konan Banny to the post of Prime Minister of Cote d'Ivoire. The EU congratulates the African mediators on their efforts to arrive at this result. It now falls to the Prime Minister to carry out the tasks entrusted to him by the African Union, and by the United Nations Security Council in its Resolution 1633 of 6 October 2005. The EU considers it necessary that the Prime Minister must, to this end, be able effectively to exercise the powers he has been granted by the UN Security Council Resolution 1633 and confirmed by the International Working Group (IWG) and the Presidential Statement of the Security Council of 30 November 2005. The IWG and the day-to-day mediation group will ensure that the Prime Minister can act without obstacle during the transition in order to organise free and fair elections.'