Gbagbo 'ready' for talks with rival

The disputed president of Cote d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo, has said that he is ready to talk to rival Alassane Ouattara, who was recognised by the UN and other international observers as the winner of Nov 28 presidential runoff poll.

Gbagbo's demand that the UN and French peacekeeping forces leave the country remains in place, and on Tuesday he said that "the international community has declared war on Ivory Coast".

However, the UN Security Council has defied this and on Monday extended the mandate for the force - known as UNOCI - for six more months.
The intention of Mr Gbagbo and the security forces loyal to him is clearly to blockade the United Nations peacekeeping mission and to suffocate the government of President-elect Ouattara," Ban said."We cannot allow this."

Ban said that forces had blocked UN patrols, denied customs clearance of supplies at Abidjan port and prevented

delivery of supplies for more than 800 UN troops and police at the Golf Hotel in the city.

"I am concerned that this disruption of life-support supplies for the mission and the Golf Hotel will put our peacekeepers in a critical situation in the coming few days," he said."I therefore strongly appeal to member states who are in a position to do so to prepare to support the mission to assist

with the continued flow of supplies."Ban said UN role "is now even more critical'" for the stability of the West African country and the region.