The emissaries of Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo rejected outgoing, Thursday, March 10, a proposed African Union (AU) to end the violence and political crisis in Côte d'Ivoire. The AU meeting in Addis Ababa, which was present Alassane Ouattara, is considered by many observers as the "last chance" to reach a compromise between the two rivals.
The fighting left hundreds dead since November and about 450 000 Ivorians have fled the violence. Pascal Affi N'Guessan, leader of the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI party of Gbagbo), confirmed that the AU proposal was based on an endorsement of the victory of Alassane Ouattara, recognized by winning the electoral commission and the Ivorian international community.
"We invited (AU) to reconsider its position," he told reporters. Mr. N'Guessan gave no details on the proposal of the AU, but sources present during the discussions show a unity government with Ouattara as its head. "We will never accept a proposal that provides for the resignation of President Gbagbo, because he is the elected leader of Cote d'Ivoire," he told the press the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr.
Gbagbo, Alcide Djedje discussions on the sidelines. "We just want Gbagbo to be president, because he was elected under the laws of the country. That is our position," he added. As for sharing power, Ahoua Don Mello, the spokesman for the government of Laurent Gbagbo, has raised an objection of inadmissibility.
Asked about the ongoing discussions at the AU summit, Ahoua Don Mello replied d'Abidjan: "For the moment, there is power sharing and the principle is unacceptable." "The power-sharing government, that's what we experienced from 2002 to 2010 and it did not work," he added. The New Forces rebels based in northern Iraq and that support Alassane Ouattara, Gbagbo's rival, had immediately reacted to the announcement, saying that the use of force was now the only way forward.
"The New Forces have always known that Gbagbo would not agree to relinquish power (...) through diplomatic channels. That is why the New Forces see no alternative to the use of force for forced to leave, "said the spokesman of the New Forces, Sekong Felicien. UNOCI continued on Thursday, its activities in the country, ignoring the flight ban decided by the outgoing president's camp.
In response, Ahoua Don Mello has also threatened the UN Mission in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and French force Licorne "sanctions." "We will continue to conduct our activities to the benefit of the Ivorian people," had said earlier in the day the spokesman of UNOCI, Hamadoun Toure. "UNOCI was deployed in Côte d'Ivoire to assist the Ivorian people to find peace and stability.
This mandate is still valid and we execute it with the means at our disposal by the Council of Safety, has he added. France had also objected on Thursday as "null and void" the decision of the Gbagbo camp to prevent its strength "Unicorn" to fly over and land in the country, a UN resolution guaranteeing the "freedom of movement ". 
The fighting left hundreds dead since November and about 450 000 Ivorians have fled the violence. Pascal Affi N'Guessan, leader of the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI party of Gbagbo), confirmed that the AU proposal was based on an endorsement of the victory of Alassane Ouattara, recognized by winning the electoral commission and the Ivorian international community.
"We invited (AU) to reconsider its position," he told reporters. Mr. N'Guessan gave no details on the proposal of the AU, but sources present during the discussions show a unity government with Ouattara as its head. "We will never accept a proposal that provides for the resignation of President Gbagbo, because he is the elected leader of Cote d'Ivoire," he told the press the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr.
Gbagbo, Alcide Djedje discussions on the sidelines. "We just want Gbagbo to be president, because he was elected under the laws of the country. That is our position," he added. As for sharing power, Ahoua Don Mello, the spokesman for the government of Laurent Gbagbo, has raised an objection of inadmissibility.
Asked about the ongoing discussions at the AU summit, Ahoua Don Mello replied d'Abidjan: "For the moment, there is power sharing and the principle is unacceptable." "The power-sharing government, that's what we experienced from 2002 to 2010 and it did not work," he added. The New Forces rebels based in northern Iraq and that support Alassane Ouattara, Gbagbo's rival, had immediately reacted to the announcement, saying that the use of force was now the only way forward.
"The New Forces have always known that Gbagbo would not agree to relinquish power (...) through diplomatic channels. That is why the New Forces see no alternative to the use of force for forced to leave, "said the spokesman of the New Forces, Sekong Felicien. UNOCI continued on Thursday, its activities in the country, ignoring the flight ban decided by the outgoing president's camp.
In response, Ahoua Don Mello has also threatened the UN Mission in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and French force Licorne "sanctions." "We will continue to conduct our activities to the benefit of the Ivorian people," had said earlier in the day the spokesman of UNOCI, Hamadoun Toure. "UNOCI was deployed in Côte d'Ivoire to assist the Ivorian people to find peace and stability.
This mandate is still valid and we execute it with the means at our disposal by the Council of Safety, has he added. France had also objected on Thursday as "null and void" the decision of the Gbagbo camp to prevent its strength "Unicorn" to fly over and land in the country, a UN resolution guaranteeing the "freedom of movement ".
- Gbagbo must leave immediately, says Obama (11/03/2011)
- Chaotic Côte d'Ivoire: Don't forget it (10/03/2011)
- Human rights situation in Côte d'Ivoire "deteriorating alarmingly" - Pillay (10/03/2011)
- AU rejects use of force on Libya (11/03/2011)
- Turmoil in Côte d'Ivoire: Will the bad loser be squeezed out? (10/03/2011)
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