Statement by the Press Secretary on U.S. Support for Ban Ki-moon, Posted by Meosha Eaton

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 7, 2011

Statement by the Press Secretary on U.S. Support for Ban Ki-moon

President Obama welcomes United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s  announcement that he will run for a second term, and the United States supports his candidacy.  Under Ban’s leadership,

UN's Ban calls for I.Coast's Gbagbo to step down, Posted by Meosha Eaton

NAIROBI, April 1 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday said he wants Ivory Coast's presidential claimant Laurent Gbagbo to cede power to his rival Alassane Ouattara.

"I renew my call for Mr Gbagbo to step down and hand over power to ... Allasane Ouattara. I want to remind all those who commit serious violations of human rights ... will be held accountable," Ban told a news conference in the Kenyan capital.

"Mr Gbagbo should immediately cede power ... to Allasane Ouattara. Let us see how this accountability (issue) goes. He must first stop killing civilians and stop fighting against his people."