Ivory Coast rivals reach deal
2005-07-09 20:02
Yamoussoukro - The Ivory Coast army and the rebels who control the north of the country on Saturday reached a disarmament agreement, officials said.
The deal was reached after three days of talks in the political capital of the west African state, Yamoussoukro.
The closed-doors talks dealt with a timetable for disarmament, a precondition for a return to peace in Ivory Coast which has effectively been split in two since an unsuccessful coup attempt in September 2002.
"The two parties have reached agreement on a timetable," Alain Donwahi, co-ordinator of the national programme for disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (PNDDR), told reporters.
"Peace is really on the right rails so we can go to a presidential election on October 30."
The heads of the national army (FANCI), General Philippe Mangou and of the rebel New Forces (FN) had been holding talks as provided for by the Pretoria agreement of June 29.