President Kufuor To Meet Ivory Coast Rebels

....as Peace Process Suffers Another Blow
The president of Ghana is meeting with Ivory Coast rebels one day after they declared a state of emergency in territory under their control. Tuesday's talks are being held in the Ghanaian capital, Accra.

Ghanaian President John Kufuor is also rotating president of the Economic Community of West African States, which has led efforts to keep Ivory Coast's peace deal from unraveling.


President Kufuor and other mediators are expected to try to convince the rebels to rejoin Ivory Coast's post-war power-sharing government.


Rebels serving as ministers in the administration suspended their participation in September, accusing Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo of stalling a French-brokered peace deal.

They say the president has violated the agreement by unilaterally choosing key members of his cabinet.


President Gbagbo, in turn, says the rebels have broken the deal by refusing to disarm.


On Monday, the rebels declared a state of emergency and accused the Ivorian army of preparing to attack. The Ivorian army denies the rebel claim, saying it is respecting a cease-fire agreement.