IVORY COAST: Former South African leader Thabo Mbeki tries to mediate in election standoff

Record ID: 181805

  • Title: IVORY COAST: Former South African leader Thabo Mbeki tries to mediate in election standoff
  • Date: 6th December 2010
  • Summary: BOUAKE, IVORY COAST (DECEMBER 5, 2010) (REUTERS) CROWD OF OUATTARA SUPPORTERS CHANTING OUTSIDE U.N. BASE VARIOUS OF OUATTARA SUPPORTERS VARIOUS OF U.N. SOLDIERS ON U.N. BASE POSTER SHOWING ALASSANE OUATTARA VARIOUS MORE OF OUATTARA SUPPORTERS VARIOUS OF OUATTARA SUPPORTERS WITH BANNER READING IN FRENCH "ADO, SOLUTION FOR IVORY COAST" ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (DECEMBER 5, 2010) (REUTERS) SOUTH AFRICA PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI SHAKING HANDS WITH MEMBERS OF U.N. DELEGATION VARIOUS OF MBEKI SEATED FOR TALKS WITH U.N. REPRESENTATIVE IN IVORY COAST, Y. J. CHOI (SOUNDBITE) (French) UNITED NATIONS HEAD OF PEACEKEEPING MISSION TO IVORY COAST, Y. J. CHOI, SAYING: "I thanked him for coming here at this crucial moment for Ivory Coast, its people, and the international community. Of course we discussed the situation with the elections, in particular what I recorded as a person who certificates an election, I reported that to him in detail." CHOI GETTING INTO UNITED NATIONS CAR U.N. CAR DRIVING OFF VARIOUS OF MEETING BETWEEN FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI AND LAURENT GBAGBO AT GBAGBO'S PRIVATE RESIDENCE
  • Embargoed: 21st December 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA77CZV0ARFF75IPA1CNFWRR1ID
  • Story Text: Former South African president Thabo Mbeki sought on Sunday (December 5) to mediate an end to a dispute over Ivory Coast's presidential election that has threatened to trigger unrest in the divided West African nation.
    The November 28 poll, designed to reunite a country split after a 2002-2003 civil war, has raised tensions as both incumbent Laurent Gbagbo and his challenger Alassane Ouattara have claimed victory and taken presidential oaths.
    In the northern town of Bouake, the stronghold of rebels opposed to Gbagbo, tens of thousands of Ouattara supporters demonstrated outside the local headquarters of the U.N. peacekeeping mission demanding that Gbagbo step down.
    "ADO President!" chanted his supporters. Ouattara is widely known by his initials.
    Gbagbo was sworn in as president on Saturday (December 4) even though the electoral commission declared Ouattara winner according to provisional results. Ouattara has submitted a rival oath and vowed to form a parallel government.
    One of Thabo Mbeki's meetings was with the United Nations representative in Ivory Caost, Y.J. Choi.
    "I thanked him for coming here at this crucial moment for Ivory Coast, its people, and the international community. Of course we discussed the situation with the elections, in particular what I recorded as a person who certificates an election, I reported that to him in detail," Choi said after the meeting.
    The United Nations has refused to recognise Gbagbo. The provisional result declaring Ouattara the winner was certified by Y.J. Choi, who says he received copies of the count from almost every polling station.
    Mbeki also held talks with Laurent Gbagbo and he was expected to meet Ouattara at the U.N.-guarded Abidjan hotel he is using as headquarters.
    South African officials said the Mbeki visit was due to last one day. Few observers hope for an immediate breakthrough.
    ENDS
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