President Mills calls for peace in Ivory Coast

Accra, Dec. 6, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Monday urged Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo and his main contender in the November 28 presidential run-off election, Mr Alassane Ouattara, to allow the rule of law to prevail for peace in the interest of their peoples.

"We are all interested in what is happening in Cote d'Ivoire and our major concern is for peace to prevail so that the lives of the people are not adversely affected," he stressed.

President Mills made the call when Dr. Sery Bailly, a former Minister of Higher Education, delivered a special message from President Gbagbo to him in the Castle on the developments the country. President Gbagbo and Mr Ouattara, who were both declared winners by the Independent National Electoral Commission and Constitutional Council respectively, swore themselves in at separate ceremonies on Saturday. President Mills' call for peace in Ghana's western neigbour comes ahead of an emergency Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, on Tuesday over the political crisis in Cote d'Ivoire. The President, who would be joining his colleague ECOWAS Heads of State in Abuja to deliberate on the Ivorian political impasse, emphasised that peace and security should not be compromised to the detriment of Ivorians. At the Africa-EU Summit in Libya last week, President Mills urged the two presidential contenders to accept the results of the elections. He said the situation in Cote d'Ivoire was a disturbing one which should be addressed urgently.

President Mills said he was hopeful that the outcome of the ECOWAS emergency meeting would help find a lasting solution to the impasse. Details of the message were not disclosed, but Dr. Bailly told journalists that President Gbagbo wanted to fully inform President Mills of the developments so as to correct any perceptions he may have. He made it clear that it was no intention of the Gbagbo Government to lobby the government of Ghana.

"President Gbagbo wants to assure President Mills that he is also interested in peace that is based on the rule of law," Dr Bailly told journalists.

The Electoral Commission declared Ouattara winner of the vote by 54.1 per cent, but the Constitutional Council overturned the results and made President Gagbo winner by 51.45 per cent.