The open crisis in Ivory Coast last November between the supporters of outgoing president, Laurent Gbagbo, and the elected, Alassane Ouattara, has entered a new phase today. France, former colonial power, negotiates with the outgoing president to surrender and requires the firm in writing. This is willing to do and ask for UN protection, according to official sources quoted by the United Nations, but Gbagbo himself has denied in an interview this afternoon at a French station that will recognize the election victory of Ouattara.
After the final offensive was launched in Abidjan by the forces of President-elect, with the support of French troops and UN forces have suffered further defections Gbagbo and have been forced to order a ceasefire. With the fighting stopped, French military vehicles and some bridges have gone so far controlled by Gbagbo's forces.
Fighting in the Ivorian economic capital have resulted in a humanitarian situation "absolutely dramatic" as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. "There is direct negotiations based on the recommendation of the African Union said that Alassane Ouattara is the president," he noted early in the afternoon Gbagbo's government spokesman, Don Mello Alhoua to.
However, Gbagbo himself contradicted those reports hours later. In an exclusive telephone interview with the French channel LCI, recorded at 19.30, has refused to recognize the election victory of Ouattara and says that negotiations concerning a cease-fire and not the political level. It's the same position as the outgoing president has held since November.
In the interview he also has called for a face to face with his rival as the only way to return peace to the country. "I do not understand how an election dispute has been able to involve the direct intervention of the French Army," said Gbagbo, who accused the Gallic troops have destroyed their stores of ammunition and have bombed the presidential palace.
In the midst of a volatile situation, with frequent denials (the UN itself has had to deny the veracity of an internal document of the organization that made the surrender was taken for Gbagbo), one of the certainties that have is that the talks between both sides are taking place with the mediation of the African Union and the French Government.
"We are very close to convincing Laurent Gbagbo to leave power," said the National Assembly later in Alain Juppe, foreign minister of France. Speaking later during a parliamentary committee, Juppe made clear that Paris and the UN demand that Gbagbo to sign a document recognizing his defeat.
It has also revealed a call by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Ouattara, who has given notice to form a national unity government to adopt measures to achieve reconciliation between the two sides. Negotiations for a possible departure of Gbagbo occur after a military offensive that has been cornered in Abidjan and place the conflict in a final stage.
With explosions and clashes throughout the city, the largest in the country, French helicopters and the UN mission into action to weaken the artillery of those loyal to former president. Meanwhile, supporters of Ouattara launched the final assault against Gbagbo's official residence, where they allegedly found, and the presidential palace.
After hours of fighting, the head of Gbagbo's forces, General Philippe Mangou, has called for a ceasefire before the United Nations mission in the country (UNOCI). French residents in the city have told France24 chain that the fighting had stopped giving effect to the cease-fire, but still hear sporadic gunfire.
Four French tanks, accompanied by other armored vehicles have crossed some bridges until now controlled by Gbagbo's forces, which would have removed from the field, he reports. The military convoy has managed to gain access to the northern sector of the city, where the Cocody district, home to embassies and the presidential residences.
With the military was at least a Red Cross vehicle with a white flag at the top. Humanitarian Crisis The fighting, which extend from the elections on November 28 and have worsened in Abidjan since the week goes by, leave a humanitarian situation "absolutely dramatic" and "dozens of deaths" in the city, according to the High Commissioner for the UN Human Rights.
"We are extremely concerned about the plight of civilians in a city as important, millions of people," he explained at a press conference Rupert Colville, spokesman for the agency. It adds that it is using "heavy weapons in densely populated." According to previous UN estimates, at least one million people have fled their homes in Abidjan, with just over four million people.
In Geneva (Switzerland), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA, for short), describes a situation of chaos: "There are explosions continued throughout the city, the hospitals are closed, you can not transfer patients because if they dare to leave ambulances are fired upon, public services do not work, so there are dozens of dead bodies lying in the streets and no one picks up ", he told reporters Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA spokeswoman .
Coincides roughly with the diagnosis in the field makes the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). The Peace and Security Council of the African Union has also condemned on Tuesday through a statement that "the violation of human rights and other abuses in the conflict and also called on all parties' responsibility in respect of international humanitarian law.
" The agency also calls "an independent investigation into the killings of civilians in Duekoué" in the west, where according to the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) about 800 people were killed on 29 March, allegedly by members of Ouattara . Cerco Gbagbo With the help of air strikes-Sarkozy French helicopters on Monday authorized their military present in Ivory Coast under UN contingent to fire on the positions of those loyal to Gbagbo, and the UN, which flames have left the military bases of the outgoing president, Ouattara's supporters have managed to precipitate the end of the regime of Gbagbo, whose fate is still uncertain.
Ouattara A spokesman said early on Tuesday that his troops had taken up residence in the former, but that information was later denied. According to UNOCI, the president and some people around would be held in a bunker of his residence. This has been under attack from anti-Gbagbo forces for last night, as the presidential palace.
According to the agency, were the heaviest fighting since Ouattara militants entered the city five days ago. The support of France and the United Nations has come following a request by UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, to Paris to act in accordance with resolution 1975 of the Security Council, which insists on the need to Gbagbo to go away and authorizes the use of force to protect civilians.
Washington has said it "strongly" the actions of France and the UN. President Barck Obama took the opportunity to also ask Gbagbo to leave power "immediately." The Ivorian president, who came to power in 2000 and postponed the convening of elections scheduled for 2005 until last year has challenged the legality and international pressure over the past four months.
The UN found that the winner on November 28 had been Ouattara, Gbagbo refused areconocerlo but arguing that the elections had been rigged. The clash between the followers of President-elect and the projection has already caused the deaths of at least 1,500 people, recalling the terrible civil war that the country experienced between 2002 and 2003.
On another front, President-elect shall be responsible to the UN for killing over 300 civilians by his troops in a city west of the country. "The Government's position is clear and clean: no impunity. We will conduct an investigation and those responsible will be punished. We want the rule of law," said Guillaume Soro, Prime Minister Ouattara, a French television. 
After the final offensive was launched in Abidjan by the forces of President-elect, with the support of French troops and UN forces have suffered further defections Gbagbo and have been forced to order a ceasefire. With the fighting stopped, French military vehicles and some bridges have gone so far controlled by Gbagbo's forces.
Fighting in the Ivorian economic capital have resulted in a humanitarian situation "absolutely dramatic" as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. "There is direct negotiations based on the recommendation of the African Union said that Alassane Ouattara is the president," he noted early in the afternoon Gbagbo's government spokesman, Don Mello Alhoua to.
However, Gbagbo himself contradicted those reports hours later. In an exclusive telephone interview with the French channel LCI, recorded at 19.30, has refused to recognize the election victory of Ouattara and says that negotiations concerning a cease-fire and not the political level. It's the same position as the outgoing president has held since November.
In the interview he also has called for a face to face with his rival as the only way to return peace to the country. "I do not understand how an election dispute has been able to involve the direct intervention of the French Army," said Gbagbo, who accused the Gallic troops have destroyed their stores of ammunition and have bombed the presidential palace.
In the midst of a volatile situation, with frequent denials (the UN itself has had to deny the veracity of an internal document of the organization that made the surrender was taken for Gbagbo), one of the certainties that have is that the talks between both sides are taking place with the mediation of the African Union and the French Government.
"We are very close to convincing Laurent Gbagbo to leave power," said the National Assembly later in Alain Juppe, foreign minister of France. Speaking later during a parliamentary committee, Juppe made clear that Paris and the UN demand that Gbagbo to sign a document recognizing his defeat.
It has also revealed a call by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Ouattara, who has given notice to form a national unity government to adopt measures to achieve reconciliation between the two sides. Negotiations for a possible departure of Gbagbo occur after a military offensive that has been cornered in Abidjan and place the conflict in a final stage.
With explosions and clashes throughout the city, the largest in the country, French helicopters and the UN mission into action to weaken the artillery of those loyal to former president. Meanwhile, supporters of Ouattara launched the final assault against Gbagbo's official residence, where they allegedly found, and the presidential palace.
After hours of fighting, the head of Gbagbo's forces, General Philippe Mangou, has called for a ceasefire before the United Nations mission in the country (UNOCI). French residents in the city have told France24 chain that the fighting had stopped giving effect to the cease-fire, but still hear sporadic gunfire.
Four French tanks, accompanied by other armored vehicles have crossed some bridges until now controlled by Gbagbo's forces, which would have removed from the field, he reports. The military convoy has managed to gain access to the northern sector of the city, where the Cocody district, home to embassies and the presidential residences.
With the military was at least a Red Cross vehicle with a white flag at the top. Humanitarian Crisis The fighting, which extend from the elections on November 28 and have worsened in Abidjan since the week goes by, leave a humanitarian situation "absolutely dramatic" and "dozens of deaths" in the city, according to the High Commissioner for the UN Human Rights.
"We are extremely concerned about the plight of civilians in a city as important, millions of people," he explained at a press conference Rupert Colville, spokesman for the agency. It adds that it is using "heavy weapons in densely populated." According to previous UN estimates, at least one million people have fled their homes in Abidjan, with just over four million people.
In Geneva (Switzerland), the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA, for short), describes a situation of chaos: "There are explosions continued throughout the city, the hospitals are closed, you can not transfer patients because if they dare to leave ambulances are fired upon, public services do not work, so there are dozens of dead bodies lying in the streets and no one picks up ", he told reporters Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA spokeswoman .
Coincides roughly with the diagnosis in the field makes the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). The Peace and Security Council of the African Union has also condemned on Tuesday through a statement that "the violation of human rights and other abuses in the conflict and also called on all parties' responsibility in respect of international humanitarian law.
" The agency also calls "an independent investigation into the killings of civilians in Duekoué" in the west, where according to the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) about 800 people were killed on 29 March, allegedly by members of Ouattara . Cerco Gbagbo With the help of air strikes-Sarkozy French helicopters on Monday authorized their military present in Ivory Coast under UN contingent to fire on the positions of those loyal to Gbagbo, and the UN, which flames have left the military bases of the outgoing president, Ouattara's supporters have managed to precipitate the end of the regime of Gbagbo, whose fate is still uncertain.
Ouattara A spokesman said early on Tuesday that his troops had taken up residence in the former, but that information was later denied. According to UNOCI, the president and some people around would be held in a bunker of his residence. This has been under attack from anti-Gbagbo forces for last night, as the presidential palace.
According to the agency, were the heaviest fighting since Ouattara militants entered the city five days ago. The support of France and the United Nations has come following a request by UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, to Paris to act in accordance with resolution 1975 of the Security Council, which insists on the need to Gbagbo to go away and authorizes the use of force to protect civilians.
Washington has said it "strongly" the actions of France and the UN. President Barck Obama took the opportunity to also ask Gbagbo to leave power "immediately." The Ivorian president, who came to power in 2000 and postponed the convening of elections scheduled for 2005 until last year has challenged the legality and international pressure over the past four months.
The UN found that the winner on November 28 had been Ouattara, Gbagbo refused areconocerlo but arguing that the elections had been rigged. The clash between the followers of President-elect and the projection has already caused the deaths of at least 1,500 people, recalling the terrible civil war that the country experienced between 2002 and 2003.
On another front, President-elect shall be responsible to the UN for killing over 300 civilians by his troops in a city west of the country. "The Government's position is clear and clean: no impunity. We will conduct an investigation and those responsible will be punished. We want the rule of law," said Guillaume Soro, Prime Minister Ouattara, a French television.
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