Kufuor holds consultations on Ivorian crisis

Accra, Nov. 20, GNA - ECOWAS Chairman, President John Agyekum Kufuor has held two days of consultations with two key officials of the Government of National Reconciliation of Cote D'Ivoire in Accra.

They were Prime Minister Mr Seydou Diarra and Mr Guillaume Soro, Minister of State for Communications and Leader of the New Forces of Cote D'Ivoire.

The consultations were aimed at breaking the current impasse in the Ivorian peace process and create the appropriate conditions for the return of the Ministers of the New Forces to the Government.

A statement issued in Accra on Thursday and signed by Mr Michael Ofori-Atta, Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said President Kufuor expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the consultations.

It said President Kufuor also thanked the two officials for their commitment and determination to work to advance the peace process in Cote d'Ivoire.

The Heads of State of Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Niger on Tuesday November 11 held a mini Summit to move forward the implementation of the power sharing arrangement under the Marcoussis and Accra Accord.

This followed the withdrawal of Ministers of the New Force from the Government of national Reconciliation accusing President Gbagbo of not showing commitment to the Accord.

The New Force, earlier in the week, declared a state of emergency in areas under their control in the Northern parts of that country, saying that President Gbagbo was planning to attack them.