IVORY COAST: Incumbent Laurent Gbagbo's camp rejects AU proposition of Alassane Ouattara-led unity government

Record ID: 181788

  • Title: IVORY COAST: Incumbent Laurent Gbagbo's camp rejects AU proposition of Alassane Ouattara-led unity government
  • Date: 14th March 2011
  • Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (MARCH 13, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HOTEL PULLMAN VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS IN MEETING ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (French) GBAGBO'S SENIOR AIDE PASCAL AFFI N'GUESSAN SAYING: "We would like to reaffirm our total rejection of this proposition, we clearly said to the heads of states that we refuse to validate and to caution such proposition." CAMERAMEN (SOUNDBITE) (French) GBAGBO'S SENIOR AIDE PASCAL AFFI N'GUESSAN SAYING: "Because the re-affirmation (by the AU)of the recognition of mister Alassane Ouattara as president-elect was never argued with any solid elements that can justify it.'' CONFERENCE ROOM
  • Embargoed: 29th March 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cote d'Ivoire
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Topics: International Relations,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABNNVWVB0RNJWR39VKHMMY246M
  • Story Text: After weeks of mediation by a panel of five African presidents, the African Union (AU) re-affirmed its recognition of Ouattara as president-elect and proposed a unity government led by him on Friday (March 11) but allies of Gbagbo, who contends the poll was rigged, refused on Sunday (March 13) to accept an AU proposal for a Ouattara-led unity government.
    "We would like to reaffirm our total rejection of this proposition, we clearly said to the heads of states that we refuse to validate and to caution such proposition," Gbagbo's senior aide Pascal Affi N'Guessan told a news conference in Abidjan saying that the AU's recognition of Ouattara was without any justification.
    ''Because the re-affirmation (by the AU)of the recognition of mister Alassane Ouattara as elected president was never argued with any solid elements that can justify it'' Dozens of people left a district of Ivory Coast's economic capital Abidjan on Sunday, a day after forces loyal to Gbagbo launched an assault on Saturday (March,12) to drive fighters claiming allegiance to Ouattara out of the suburb, although residents said those fighters still controlled several areas.
    The latest African Union effort to mediate in the dispute failed this week, adding to fears of a return to civil war in the world's top cocoa grower.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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