§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)With the support of Her Majesty's Government, the United Nations Security Council on 15 November unanimously adopted Resolution 1572 (2004) imposing an arms embargo against Côte d'Ivoire, effective for 13 months, following violations of the ceasefire by government forces. The embargo includes humanitarian exemptions, exemptions for the United Nations operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and the French forces who support them and for states engaged in the evacuation of their nationals or those for whom they have consular responsibility in Côte d'Ivoire. There is also an exemption to allow support for the process of restructuring Ivorian defence and security forces.
Resolution 1572 (2004) also imposes a travel ban and assets freeze against all who constitute a threat to the peace and national reconciliation process in Côte d'Ivoire, which will come into effect on 15 December unless the Security Council decides that the signatories concerned have fully implemented their commitments under the Accra III agreement and are embarked towards full implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis agreement. I will inform the House if the travel ban and assets freeze come into force.