France is committed militarily Monday in the Ivorian conflict by carrying out bombings alongside the UN, ignoring charges Gbagbo camp for his army, and opening a second front in just over two weeks after intervention in Libya.
The spokesman of the government has implicitly excluded Baroin Tuesday a further strengthening of French military forces in Côte d'Ivoire by saying that " they have been "and that" they are significantly suffisammment and "present.
" They have been and they are significant enough to allow intervention in the context of the international resolution "of the UN, said on France 2 M. Baroin. He was asked about a possible further strengthening of French military forces in that country.
The French troops were allowed to participate in armed actions carried out by those in Abidjan of the UN in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) to neutralize the heavy weapons used by the Gbagbo camp against civilians, said in the evening the French presidency.
This intervention follows a specific request of the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sent Sunday to French President Nicolas Sarkozy to " put out of harm's heavy weapons are used against civilian populations and peacekeepers , "said Monday UN officials in New York.
Mr Sarkozy " has responded positively to this request and allowed the French forces "Operation Unicorn" to participate in operations conducted by UNOCI for the protection of civilians , "said the Elysee.
On Monday, Mr. Ban emphasized that UNOCI was " not involved "in the Ivorian conflict and that the French troops and those of the United Nations aimed at protecting civilians and not to attack the incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo.
In Paris, the headquarters of the army said Monday night that the helicopters of the French forces engaged in the day in Abidjan had targeted heavy weapons and armored detachments " used against the civilian population . "
For several days the French authorities have repeatedly assert that " the French forces act in support of the UN Mission in Côte d'Ivoire . "
At the same time, the deployment of French troops in Ivory Coast has almost doubled. 900 men, he rose early in the week to about 1,650 men, while France has been involved in a March 19 other conflict under the UN flag against the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi.
In Abidjan, the French Licorne force took control Sunday of the airport, Acting UNOCI that Paris called for several weeks to play a more effective role. This latter force is composed of some 10,000 members, police and military.
On Monday, the fighters of Alassane Ouattara, recognized internationally as the new president of Cote d'Ivoire, rose again on the offensive to cut the last bastions of the troops of Laurent Gbagbo, the outgoing head of state refused to leave office .
Camp Alassane Ouattara had claimed during the weekend a " strong involvement of France "and the UN. " There are defense agreement between Côte d'Ivoire and France, we can rely on those agreements. Alassane Ouattara could ask for France to work more heavily , "said Ally Coulibaly, his ambassador in Paris.
Meanwhile, still in Paris, Toussaint Alain, an adviser to Gbagbo, accusing the Licorne force to act " as an occupation army without any mandate from UN. He condemned the bombing Monday in Abidjan as " illegal "and an" assassination attempt "of the president.
The former colonial power in recent years had reduced its military presence in Côte d'Ivoire, while attempting to preserve its economic interests there, had sought to stay far away from the fighting.
To justify its military posture, she brandished the need to protect French nationals and foreigners and civilians. According to the Quai d'Orsay, several people including two French nationals, were abducted Monday by " armed men "at the Novotel Hotel Abidjan.
The last armed confrontation between France and the forces of Laurent Gbagbo was in November 2004 with an Ivorian air raid killing nine French soldiers in Bouake (center).
Clashes between the French army and demonstrators in Abidjan, Ivory Coast had been 57 victims Ivorian then, precipitating a departure from the country of nearly 8,000 French nationals.
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