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AU Chief in Ivory Coast for Talks with Rival Leaders

   VOA News  25 January 2011

   The  leader  of  the  African Union heads to Ivory Coast Tuesday in an
   attempt to mediate the country's political crisis.
   Malawi  President  Bingu  wa  Mutharika is expected to meet with Ivory
   Coast's  incumbent  leader  Laurent  Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara, the
   internationally-recognized winner of November's presidential election.
   The  meetings  come after last week's negotiations led by Kenyan Prime
   Minister Raila Odinga ended with little success.
   The  African Union has been pressuring Mr. Gbagbo to relinquish power,
   but he has so far refused.
   Separately,  envoys from the Economic Community of West African States
   are  travelling  to  the  United  States this week for talks with U.S.
   President Barack Obama and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
   On  Monday,  Nigeria's  foreign  minister  said  ECOWAS  wants  a U.N.
   Security  Council  resolution  authorizing  the  use of force in Ivory
   Coast.  The  regional bloc has threatened to remove Mr. Gbagbo through
   military means if necessary.

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