20110130
xinhua

ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said reopening Cote d'Ivoire's election results would be a "grave injustice," according to a press release received here on Sunday ahead of the AU summit.

Ban was addressing a high-level meeting on Cote d'Ivoire on Saturday, as African leaders are prepared to meet on Sunday for the 16th summit. Ban said reopening of the Nov. 28 run-off elections results, in which the electoral commission gave victory to Alassane Ouattara while the Constitutional Council said Laurent Gbagbo won the vote, would "set an unfortunate precedent."

Both Gbagbo and Ouattara claimed themselves president and formed their respective government. Both sent their foreign ministers to informally attend the AU summit.

Cote d'Ivoire's AU membership was suspended over its electoral disputes. Ouattara has the support of the international community including the UN, the AU, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the European Union.

In his speech, Ban commended the AU Peace and Security Council' s decision to set up a high-level panel to deal with the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire.

According to AU, the panel is mandated to evaluate the situation in the West African country and formulate an overall political crisis exit plan. The composition of the panel will be announced in a maximum of 48 hours, AU said on Friday.

Ban also lauded AU Peace and Security Council's demand for the immediate removal of the siege on the Golf Hotel, where Ouattara's camp was holed up.

"We must preserve our unified position, act together, and stand firm against Mr. Gbagbo's attempt to hang on to power through the use of force." Ban said he was deeply concerned about attacks ordered by Gbagbo against UN peacekeepers in Cote d'Ivoire, known as UNOCI.

"All those responsible for grave acts against the Ivorian people and the UN peacekeepers must be brought to justice and held responsible for their crimes."

UN on Jan. 19 decided to send an additional 2,000 peacekeepers to Cote d'Ivoire, where the blue helmets have been under attack after the presidential elections in the West African country.

Peacekeepers from the UNOIC are currently protecting Ouattara and members of his new government in Abidjan's Golf Hotel against the blockade siege by Gbagbo loyalists. Gbagbo has demanded UNOCI's withdrawal, which the UN has rejected.