ECOWAS must maintain peace in Cote d'Ivoire - Kufuor

ECOWAS Chairman President John Agyekum Kufuor on Wednesday said it was the responsibility of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to maintain peace in Cote d'Ivoire.

He said French troops were there to support the ECOFORCE troops to maintain peace.

President Kufuor said this when General Henri Bentegeat, Chief of Defence Staff of the French Armed Forces on a visit to Ghana, paid a courtesy call on him at the Castle, Osu.

He said the ECOFORCE was a young force that required a lot of material support and urged France to provide the necessary support in their endeavour.

President Kufuor said France was strategic to Ghana because Ghana was surrounded by Francophone countries. It was important to study the culture and language of France.

He said the Ghana Armed Forces and the French forces had co-operated with each other for a long period and it was necessary such relationship continued.

President Kufuor appealed to the French CDS to extend some of the assistance offered to the ECOFORCE to the Ghanaian contingent in Cote d'Ivoire to remove any traces of separation between Francophone and Anglophone countries.

General Bentegeat expressed appreciation for the quality of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in international peacekeeping operations and in Cote d'Ivoire.

"Our relationship is good and I have confidence in the Ghanaian soldiers that I do not intend to make any difference between Francophone and Anglophone soldiers in Cote d'Ivoire."

General Bentegeat said Ghana would host a French military programme next year, but he did not give details.

He said French troops would remain in Cote d'Ivoire until peace returned to that country.