Mbeki positive about I Coast
2005-03-04 11:29
Cape Town - South African President Thabo Mbeki and Ivory Coast Prime Minister Seydou Diarra insisted that the Ivorian peace process was on track, despite renewed violence that shattered a three-month cease-fire.
The two leaders on Thursday played down the significance of declarations by rebels who control the northern part of Ivory Coast that an attack on Monday by 70 pro-government fighters on a rebel checkpoint had effectively buried mediation efforts.
"It is not a matter which is going to derail the process, but it is a matter that has to be addressed in the context of restoring a positive climate," said Mbeki, who was asked last year by the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States to mediate.
He said preparations for presidential elections, due in October, were on schedule, as were arrangements to disarm and demobilise pro-government and rebel militias.
Dialogue continues
Diarra said dialogue between government officials and rebel representatives continued despite a statement from the insurgents' spokesperson that the peace process was dead after the assault on the checkpoint near the village of Logouale, 650km north of the government-controlled commercial capital, Abidjan.
Ivory Coast has been split into a rebel-held north and loyalist south since a September 2002 coup attempt against President Laurent Gbagbo prompted the slide to civil war. A buffer zone is patrolled by 11 000 UN and French peacekeepers. The attack by pro-government fighters was apparently aimed at liberating the north from rebel control.
Diarra described the initial rebel reaction to the assault as "totally legitimate."
"But it was based on surprise and emotion. I do not think we should pay too much attention to the declaration," said Diarra.
"Dialogue is continuing and will continue on the spot in order to achieve our objective of peace in our country," said Diarra after the two-hour meeting in the South African parliament headquarters.
He appealed to all sides to try to calm the situation.
Mbeki said the United Nations was investigating the incident.
He said South African Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota would visit Ivory Coast next week to finalise "necessary changes" to legislation before elections, including the composition of the Independent Electoral Commission and the leadership of the public broadcaster to make them acceptable to all parties.
He also said discussions were continuing on providing extra African peacekeeping troops to guarantee safety for rebel New Forces soldiers who were disarmed and confined to cantonment areas.
Mbeki said one outstanding issue was a proposed referendum on a controversial constitutional requirement that all presidential candidates be second-generation Ivorians.
The South African president said he would try to resolve the referendum problem personally with Gbabgo.
- AP