- Title: IVORY COAST: Nigeria's Obasanjo in Ivory Coast to push peace
- Date: 5th November 2005
- Summary: (BN17) ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (NOVEMBER 4, 2005) (ONUCI) WIDE SHOT PRESS CONFERENCE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT OBASSADJO AND GBAGBO WITH THE NIGERIA AND IVORIAN FLAG BEHIND THEM IVORIAN OFFICIALS SOUNDBITE (English) NIGERIAN PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, SAYING: "So what then I have decided to do is to consult with my two other colleagues, President Kategaya (Uganda) and President Mbeki (South Africa), and then we sent the names that have been given to us, in alphabetical order, to all the parties within the next 24-48 hours so that they can then respond in order of preference, the name that they will want to consider as acceptable." JOURNALISTS
- Embargoed: 20th November 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVADI6B8GIK26MXWMYJABY1CLXO8
- Story Text: Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo arrived in Ivory Coast on Friday (November 4) to meet government and rebel leaders and push for progress on a United Nations (U.N.) plan to reunite the divided state and hold presidential elections.
The constitutional mandate of Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo ended on October 30, but he has been given U.N. backing to remain for a further 12 months to work towards presidential polls that were unable to be held last month.
Obasanjo, who was greeted by Gbagbo on his arrival at Abidjan's airport, was set to talk individually to the president and Prime Minister Seydou Diarra as well as opposition and rebel leaders, who no longer recognise Gbagbo as president.
A U.N. resolution adopted last month called on Ivorians to choose a new prime minister with full powers over government ministers to speed progress on a series of peace deals to reunite the West African country, which have foundered amid political squabbling.
Although the rebel New Forces have nominated their leader Guillaume Soro as prime minister, no final decision has been made and officials hope Obasanjo will get all sides to agree on a candidate.
Ivory Coast has been split in two since a 2002 civil war which grew out of a failed coup and left the world's top cocoa grower split into a rebel north and government south. afr/jrc - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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