Gbagbo agrees to lift blockade

Tue Jan 4, 2011

Incumbent Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo has vowed to lift the blockade around the temporary headquarters of his presidential rival Alassane Ouattara.

African mediators said in a statement on Tuesday that Gbagbo pledged to immediately lift the blockade around Hotel du Golf, AFP reported.

The incumbent leader also agreed to negotiate without any preconditions to end the post-election crisis in the African country.

The mediators made the remarks after they met Gbagbo in Abidjan.

Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Presidents Boni Yayi of Benin, Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone and Pedro Pires of Cape Verde were the four mediators.

The mediators were set to report on their mission to Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan, who is the current chairman of the Economic Community of West African States.

The African state has been in turmoil after November 28 presidential election which both Gbagbo and Ouattara claimed to have won.

The United Nations and the African Union have recognized Ouattara as president.

However, Gbagbo has resisted fierce international pressure to hand over power to Ouattara and sworn in for another term.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/158621.html.