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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Ouattara 'appeals' to Gbagbo camp for unity |
| 2011-01-11 |
| Ivory Coast's Alassane Ouattara is willing to work as president in a unity government with Laurent Gbagbo's camp if the strongman drops his claim to power, the country's UN envoy has told the BBC. Youssoufou Bamba, Ivory Coast's ambassador to the United Nations, aka the Oyster Bay Chowder and Marching Society, urged Gbagbo to recognise Ouattara as the "legitimate president" following November's disputed elections, in an interview with the British broadcaster released Monday. "And from there, Mr. Gbagbo is not alone. He has followers, he has competent people in his party. Those people, we are prepared to work with them. In the framework of a wide composite cabinet." Ouattara is internationally recognised as the winner of November 28 presidential polls in the west African nation, but incumbent Gbagbo also claims to have won the vote and is refusing to give up power. Bamba said Ouattara could work with Gbagbo but rejected comparisons with the situation in Kenya and Zimbabwe, which have power-sharing governments. "Yes he could work with him [Gbagbo]. Because he is an Ivorian citizen," he was cited as saying. "What I am saying should be clear. The win by Mr. Ouattara could not be put into question anymore. That, if Mr. Gbagbo accepts that, we could negotiate. Otherwise, I could not understand how it could be otherwise." If Gbagbo gave up his claim to power, that would be "the starting point" for negotiations, said the envoy, speaking from UN headquarters in New York. "I think from there, everything is open. It?s on the table," he added. |
| Posted by:Fred |