I Coast PM 'optimistic'

2004-11-20 16:50

Pretoria - Ivory Coast Prime Minister Seydou Diarra said on Saturday he was "very optimistic" about ongoing mediation efforts to end the conflict in his country.

After three hour long talks with President Thabo Mbeki in Pretoria, Diarra said he was hopeful the mediation efforts would be deepened.

Mbeki, who was tasked as Ivory Coast mediator by the African Union, "has got ideas already that can be positively accepted", Diarra said in French before leaving the presidential guesthouse.

Diarra said he hoped Mbeki would return to Abidjan soon to get "deeper into contact" with the different parties to the conflict.

He did not know when this would happen, saying it depended on Mbeki's programme.

Shared Mbeki's views

Diarra said he shared with Mbeki his views on how to ensure that an existing power-sharing agreement becomes effective.

Mbeki is to canvass the same issues later on Saturday afternoon with the leader of the rebel-held north, Guillaume Soro, who arrived in the country on Saturday morning.

In the last two weeks clashes between government, rebels, and the French military shattered an 18-month-old cease-fire in the West African country.

The once-peaceful country has been ripped apart by fighting between the rebel-held north, and the government-controlled south in the last few years.

Mbeki was asked to intervene by the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States.

- SAPA