Ouatarra rejects AU mediation offer

Alassane Ouattara cites AU envoy's personal relations with incumbent president Luarent Gbagbo as problematic. Last Modified: 27 Mar 2011 00:18

Violence and mass displacements of civilan populations continue to spread across the country [EPA] Internationally recognised president of Cote d'Ivoire Alassane Ouattara has rejected the African Union's choice to mediate the crisis, citing the envoy's "personal relations" with his rival Laurent Gbagbo. The African Union (AU) on Saturday named Cape Verde's former foreign minister Jose Brito as its representative to Cote d’Ivoire to mediate an end to the crisis pushing the country towards civil war. But in a statement Ouattara said he "deeply regrets not having been consulted, nor having been approached" about the decision. He "expressed surprise" about the selection of Brito "given his personal relationship and his political connection, known to everyone in Cote d’Ivoire, with the incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo. "Moreover, this decision does not conform to the expressed will to appoint a former head of state in this function," his statement added. "Consequently, the Presidency of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire rejects Jose Brito as the AU high representative." Political stalemate The AU charged Brito with working towards talks between the two rival camps so propositions endorsed by the AU in Addis Ababa on March 10 could be implemented, an AU statement said. Earlier this month, the African Union endorsed the conclusions of a panel of five African heads of state. They recognised Ouattara as the legitimate winner of November elections against his rival, but asked him to put in place an inclusive government and help find a "graceful exit" for his rival. But the Gbagbo camp quickly rejected the AU's proposals as "unacceptable". According to the original AU schedule, talks were supposed to last Thursday: instead the country has seen a steadily rising wave of violence, both in Abidjan and in the west of the country. The country's post-electoral crisis has seen more than 460 people killed since the end of 2010, sparking a grave humanitarian crisis and threatening to plunge the country into civil war. Jean Ping, the head of the AU Commission, repeated a call to the rival camps to work towards implement the political settlement it had endorsed. "He asks them insistently to exercise maximum restraint and avoid an escalation of tension so that the Ivorian population can benefit from peace, stability and reconciliation that Africa calls for as a whole with all its wishes." On March 18, Gbagbo appeared to step back from his earlier rejection of the AU proposals. He said he had "taken note of the proposed framework of discussions" proposed by the AU and was awaiting the appointment of the AU representative to consider "inter-Ivorian talks." But Ouattara's camp rejected the offer of dialogue, calling again for Gbagbo's departure.

Source: Agencies