Gbagbo defiant as African leaders leave Ivory Coast 

 

 

 

West African leaders have ended their mission to Ivory Coast, having failed to persuade incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo to stand down.

They had hoped Mr Gbagbo would agree to cede power to Allasane Ouattara, widely considered to be the true winner of November's elections.
But Mr Gbagbo has refused, despite the leaders' threat of military action.
The dispute has led to widespread unrest in Ivory Coast, with thousands fleeing and scores of people killed.
The presidents of Benin, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde had travelled to the main city, Abidjan, as representatives of the Ecowas West African regional grouping.
The visit was being seen as a final chance to urge Mr Gbagbo to peacefully cede to Mr Ouattara - who is currently holed up in a hotel in the city protected by around 800 UN peacekeepers.
Few details of the separate talks with the two rivals have emerged, but President Boni Yayi of Benin told reporters: "Everything went well."
Cape Verde President Pedro Pires said the mission should not be judged in terms of success or failure.
"What we know is that we have done valid work here, not more than that," he said.
The West African presidents have left Ivory Coast and will now report back to Ecowas chairman Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, who, they said, will negotiate a date for their return to Abidjan.
But instead of being persuaded to step down, Mr Gbagbo appears to be reinforcing his position.
One of his advisers told the BBC Mr Gbagbo was still the democratically elected president and that the Ecowas intervention was part of an "international plot" against him.