Marioneta francezilor, Ouattara, blocată în Hotel Golf de trupele din Coasta de Fildeş

BBC:

A blockade around the hotel sheltering the man recognised internationally as Ivory Coast's leader is still in place.

West African mediators say that incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo has agreed to lift the siege on Alassane Ouattara's temporary HQ in Abidjan.

But a BBC reporter in Abidjan says state TV failed to report the deal and the hotel remains surrounded.

The UN regards Mr Ouattara as the winner of November elections but Mr Gbagbo has refused to cede power.

The West African regional body Ecowas has threatened to force him out, but is trying mediation efforts first.

On Monday, it sent the presidents of Benin, Cape Verde and Sierra Leone to negotiate Mr Gbagbo's departure - their second attempt to do so in a week.

They came away with was his apparent promise to lift the blockade around Mr Ouattara's hotel, which is protected by UN peacekeepers.

After a debriefing meeting in the Nigerian capital Abuja, the chairman of the Ecowas Commission, James Victor Gbeho, said that Mr Gbagbo had also agreed to negotiate a "peaceful end" to end the crisis without preconditions.

"On his part, Mr Alassane Ouattara indicated his willingness to ensure a dignified exit for Mr Gbagbo provided the latter accepted the outcome of the presidential election as declared by the independent electoral commission and certified by the United Nations," he said.

The BBC's John James in Abidjan says the security forces are still sealing off roads for several kilometres leading to the Golf Hotel.


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