Paris weighs evacuating I Coast
2003-01-29 19:52
Paris - France declared itself ready on Wednesday to evacuate its citizens from Ivory Coast after angry street protests in Abidjan against a French-brokered peace deal and mounting pressure in Paris to take action.
Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, who until now had ruled out any evacuation, told RTL radio that France was ready to whisk its citizens out of the city "at any time" but wanted to avoid any step that could inflame the situation.
Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie quickly added there were no plans to evacuate French citizens right now but Paris had reinforced its military presence in Abidjan and was running helicopter patrols night and day over the city.
The ministers spoke as Paris newspapers ran headlines such as "16 000 French in danger" and "Who's protecting the French in Abidjan?" across their front pages. About 16 000 French live in the West African country, the world's largest cocoa producer.
French TV showed Abidjan protesters on Tuesday waving American flags, urging the United States to come to help them, and holding banners saying French President Jacques Chirac was a terrorist and comparing him to Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar, leader of the Afghan Taliban.
"We are watching the situation hour by hour and we will not hesitate to take this decision if the situation demands it," Villepin said.
Asked about Villepin's comments after the weekly cabinet meeting, Alliot-Marie said: "Today, there is no question of repatriating the French, except for families who want this, especially because of the February school holidays."
Villepin had dismissed the idea of evacuating French citizens only two days ago.
France sticks by peace deal
Villepin insisted a peace deal, which protesters said was imposed by former colonial power France last week after nine-day talks between the government and rebel movements, must remain the basis for any national reconciliation.
Embattled Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo has played down the deal since returning from Paris, saying it was just a proposal, and the Ivory Coast army rejected it on Tuesday.
"Whatever happens, even if we go through difficult moments in the coming days, that political accord will remain the basis for reconciliation among Ivorians," Villepin said.
France has deployed 2 500 troops in Ivory Coast to protect its citizens and keep peace between government-held areas in the south and rebel-controlled regions in the north and west.
"We have everything we need to repatriate the French if the situation demands," Alliot-Marie said. "Besides planes, we have large ships nearby that could take several thousand people at a time. Once again, I don't think that's the issue today."
The French embassy in Abidjan was keeping in close contact with French living there through telephone and radio messages, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
But expatriates interviewed by telephone by French radio and television have complained of a lack of information as mobs attacked French buildings in the city.
Most say they dare not leave their houses. One frightened woman said she slept with a machete by her side for protection.