United Nations

 NEW YORK, 5 December (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement was issued today by the Office of the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

 Following a discussion with  the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, the Secretary-General has appointed Colin Terrence Granderson of Trinidad and Tobago as Chairman of an International Commission of Inquiry which he intends to dispatch to Côte d’Ivoire to help shed light on the serious human rights violations that took place in that country in October.  Mr. Granderson will initially travel to Abidjan, accompanied by Secretariat officials, to meet with the Government and other concerned parties.  He is expected to report on his visit to the Secretary-General by 18 December.