USA Africa Dialogue Series - Belarus Caught Selling Arms To Gbagbo

UN chief accuses Belarus of violating Ivory Coast arms embargo

By the CNN Wire Staff

February 28, 2011 -- Updated 0626 GMT (1426 HKT)

The office of U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon accused Belarus of defying a U.N. arms embargo.

(CNN) -- The United Nations on Monday accused Belarus of defying an arms embargo against Ivory Coast by delivering three attack helicopters to the disputed president of the west African nation.

A spokesman for U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said the helicopters and other related materiel "are reportedly being delivered at Yamoussoukro," the nation's capital, for Laurent Gbagbo's forces.

"The first delivery arrived reportedly on a flight which landed this (Sunday) evening and additional flights are scheduled for" Monday," the spokesman said in a statement.

Gbagbo, the nation's incumbent leader, is clinging to the presidency despite an international call for him to step down after an electoral commission declared challenger Alassane Ouattara the winner of a November election.

Deliveries violate an arms embargo that has been in place since 2004, the spokesman said.