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Ivorian Diplomat Urges World to âListenâ to Presidentâs Concerns

   Peter Clottey 12 December 2010
   Incumbent  President  Laurent  Gbagbo, center, gestures during a photo
   opportunity  with  his  newly-named cabinet, with Prime Minister N'Gbo
   Gilbert  Marie  Ake,  front  left, at the presidency in Abidjan, Ivory
   Coast, Dec 7, 2010

Photo: AP

   Incumbent  President  Laurent  Gbagbo, center, gestures during a photo
   opportunity  with  his  newly-named cabinet, with Prime Minister N'Gbo
   Gilbert  Marie  Ake,  front  left, at the presidency in Abidjan, Ivory
   Coast, Dec 7, 2010

   A  special  advisor to embattled Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo told
   VOA there have been several indications the international community is
   interfering  in Ivory Coastâs internal affairs, following the disputed
   28^th November presidential run-off vote.

   Ambassador  Yao Gnamien accused the international community, including
   the  Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), of failing to
   âcarefully  listenâ  to Mr. Gbagboâs concerns following the results of
   last monthâs election.

   Mr.  Gbagbo  told  a state newspaper Friday that he wants to âsit down
   and  talkâ  with  his political rival about the situation. But, former
   Prime  Minister  Alassane  Ouattara said Saturday that Mr. Gbagbo must
   first accept that he lost the election.

   Supporters  of  Mr.  Ouattara  demanded  Mr.  Gbagbo resign before any
   negotiations  to  resolve the ongoing political impasse. But, this was
   rejected by Gbagbo aides.

   âIf  we  want to have good negotiations, nobody can say that President
   Gbagbo   must  resign  because  President  Gbagbo  has  been  declared
   president  of  Cote  dâIvoire  by  our  Constitutional Court, which is
   really  the  same case in most of the African countries, (and) even in
   most  developed countries. So, the main thing we have to follow is the
   rule of law,â said Ambassador Gnamien.

   Earlier,  an aide to Mr. Gbagbo said western envoys are trying to sway
   the  army to support Mr. Ouattara. Interior minister Emile Guirieoulou
   said  western  envoys  in  Abidjan have approached senior Ivorian army
   officers  with  the  goal  of  finding soldiers and police to back Mr.
   Ouattara.

   Guirieoulou  said Mr. Gbagbo's government âwill not tolerate meddlingâ
   by outsiders in Ivory Coast's internal affairs.

   Ambassador Gnamien said it is wrong for the international community to
   infringe on what he described as Ivory Coastâs sovereignty.

   âWhen  you  have a dispute, first of all you have to listen to the two
   parties.  We feel that the international community did not do it. They
   just  took  the  version  of  the  supporters of former Prime Minister
   Ouattara  and they made their decision. What we are asking for is that
   (they)  will  listen  to  both  parties  so that we can make the final
   decision at the level of the international community,â said Ambassador
   Gnamien.

   âIf  the  international community wants to take its responsibility, it
   has  to  analyze the two points of view and to see which point of view
   is supported by the national law, by the constitution of Ivory Coast.â

   Meanwhile,   President   Gbagbo  is  facing  increasing  international
   pressure to hand over power.
   The  U.N.  Security  Council, African Union, and Economic Community of
   West  African  States  have  all  said  Mr.  Ouattara won last month's
   election.   The  United  States  has threatened sanctions against Mr.
   Gbagbo and his close supporters.

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