I Coast: Elections impossible
2005-08-30 11:07
Abidjan - Ivory Coast's main opposition parties said on Monday it was impossible to organise a presidential election as planned for October 30 and demanded a "political transition" be set up, excluding President Laurent Gbagbo.
"It is impossible, technically and materially, to organise the presidential election in the timeframe foreseen by the constitution," said a written statement by the RHDP grouping of four main opposition parties.
Last week, rebels in Ivory Coast withdrew their support for the presidential election, being organised as part of a peace plan, and said Gbagbo should step down on October 30 and have no role in a political transition.
The RHDP warned that with such a delay in elections "the country is going to find itself in a constitutional void without a president of the republic nor government".
Transition
They called for a "political transition" to be put in place "to stop the country falling into chaos", adding that the "head of state Laurent Gbagbo would not know how to conduct the transition".
The RHDP comprises the Rally for the Republicans (RDR), Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI) and two smaller parties, the Union for Peace and Democracy in Ivory Coast (UDPCI) and the Movement of the Forces of the Future (MFA).
Advisers to Gbagbo have repeatedly said he will remain in power should there be any delay in the election, which is part of a peace process involving the disarmament of rebel and pro-government forces.
The two sides are currently disputing the logistics of the operation.
Ivory Coast has been split in two since an abortive coup attempt against Gbagbo in September 2002 spiralled into civil war with former rebels controlling the north and government forces the south.