Ivory Coast facing renewed civil war without peace deal


Ivory Coast's new premier, racing against the clock to avert war, dined with a rebel leader on Friday night as he struggled to save a faltering peace deal and end nearly five months of civil war in the West African country.

The dinner took place in Ghana's capital Accra after hours of closed-door negotiations between rebels, Ivory Coast's Prime Minister Seydou Diarra and Ghana's President John Kufuor, head of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The talks came as time ticked by on a rebel deadline for Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo to implement a much-maligned French-brokered peace deal or face renewed civil war in the world's largest cocoa producer.

The rebel deadline expires at midnight on Sunday.

"We realise there is an impasse that we must break through, sooner rather than later," said rebel spokesman Sidiki Konate.

Mr Diarra, a former diplomat, was picked to form a Government to include all political movements in the former French colony.

The talks in Ghana centred on how to accommodate rebels from the main group, the Patriotic Movement for Ivory Coast (MCPI), in a new government of reconciliation.

The rebels say they were promised top jobs in the defence and interior ministries in the peace deal, signed in Marcoussis near Paris last month.

"As an immediate priority Prime Minister Diarra will continue his consultations with all the Marcoussis round-table participants with a view to the speedy formation of the government," a statement from ECOWAS said after the talks.

"The meeting concluded with the understanding that consultations would continue with President Gbagbo and all the Ivorian political formations to ensure the expeditious and full implementation of the Marcoussis accords," the statement said.

Mr Gbagbo has cast doubt on the rebel demands for the two powerful ministries and insists he will have the final say.

Ivory Coast's civil war blew up out of a failed coup in September. Officials say thousands have been killed and more than one million forced to flee their homes.

The MPCI seized control of the north after failing to take the main city of Abidjan during the coup. Two other rebel factions fighting in the west, near the border with Liberia, emerged two months later and took key towns.

Before Friday's talks, the MPCI's political leader, Guillaume Soro, appeared in no mood to make concessions.

"The ultimatum still stands and you will see from midnight on Sunday what happens afterwards," he said.

Military officials said the rebel team planned to embark on a whistlestop tour of the region before their deadline expires, but they spent Friday night in Accra.

The creation of a unity government was a key element of the peace deal and sparked furious anti-French protests when news of the rebel cabinet positions leaked out.