| Darth Bolton's budget comments may just be having an effect ... heh. |
President Laurent Gbagbo's supporters were behind four days of protests against the UN in January. They accuse the UN of interfering in the country's internal affairs.
| yeah. we'z in charge here, see? 'an we don' allow no odder |
Ivory Coast has been divided between the government and rebels since a failed coup attempt more than three years ago.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan wrote to President Gbagbo, saying he was concerned that the Ivorian security forces had largely failed in their responsibility to ensure the safety of UN personnel and facilities.
"These events have also had a negative impact on the peace process," he wrote.
| yah think? BGO |
Last month, President Gbagbo's supporters attacked and damaged the UN's headquarters in Abidjan, and UN offices in the west of the country during the violent protests.
This followed a call by UN-backed international mediators for the national parliament - which is controlled by those loyal to the president - to be dissolved as its mandate had run out.
This week the UN Security Council imposed sanctions on two youth leaders accused of helping to organise the attacks on the UN, as well as on a rebel commander.
| ohmigod - sanctions, huh? Whoo eee - rolling out the big guns. but I'm sure it was all nicely balanced so that the UN can stay 'neutral' |