Sia Kambou | AFP Prime Minister Raila Odinga (right) hugs embattled Cote d’Ivoire leader Laurent Gbagbo before their meeting at the presidential palace in Abidjan on Monday. Mr Gbagbo on Tuesday said he was willing to talk without preconditions.
Posted Tuesday, January 4 2011 at 21:00
In Summary
- Leader also accepts to immediately lift the blockade around his presidential rival
Cote d’Ivoire’s Laurent Gbagbo has agreed to negotiate a “peaceful end” to his country’s crisis without preconditions, regional leaders said.
The chairman of the Ecowas regional group said Mr Gbagbo had also agreed to immediately lift the blockade around the temporary headquarters of his presidential rival Alassane Ouattara.
The UN regards Mr Ouattara the winner of November elections but Mr Gbagbo, the incumbent, refused to cede power. Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) had threatened to force him out.
BBC’s John James said it was important not to over-emphasise the importance of Mr Gbagbo’s statement. He had given no indication he was willing to step down, said Mr James.
Mr Ouattara, who is holed up in a hotel protected by UN peacekeepers, said he was willing to talk, as long as the internationally agreed election results were accepted by Mr Gbagbo.
The chairman of the Ecowas Commission, Mr James Victor Gbeho, said after an extraordinary session of members in Abuja, Nigeria: “Laurent Gbagbo agreed to negotiate a peaceful end to the crisis without any preconditions.”
On face value, this announcement is being interpreted as the first sign of progress in negotiations with Mr Gbagbo. But on second glance, it is clear that he is not actually giving much away.
Mr Gbagbo has said from the start of the crisis that he would be willing to talk to his rival, while insisting he was not prepared to cede power.
The statement issued by Ecowas clearly upheld its previous position that Mr Ouattara was the legitimate president-elect of Ivory Coast.
The head of the Ecowas commission said the option of military force was still being considered if the negotiations came to nothing.
“He also pledged to immediately lift the blockade around Hotel du Golf, the temporary headquarters of Mr Ouattara, the president-elect.
“On his part, Mr Ouattara indicated his willingness to ensure a dignified exit for Mr Gbagbo provided the latter accepted the outcome of the presidential election as declared by the independent electoral commission and certified by the United Nations,” he said.
The statement followed a visit to Cote d’Ivoire by presidents Boni Yayi of Benin, Pedro Pires of Cape Verde and Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone — representing Ecowas.
It was their second trip to Abidjan in less that a week. On Monday they were joined by Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, representing the African Union. (BBC)
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