|
|
Cote d'Ivoire president's visit to rebel-held north postponed |
 |
+ |
- |
08:25, July 04, 2007 |
Cote d'Ivoire's Prime Minister Guillaume Soro has postponed President Gbagbo's first visit to the country's rebel-held territory since 2002 following the attack against his plane, which occurred Friday in Bouake, official sources said Tuesday.
The visit, which was to be crowned by a ceremony dubbed "the flame of peace," was supposed to symbolize the reunification of the country which has been divided into two since a botched coup attempt by the New Forces (FN) against President Gbagbo in September 2002.
"I have postponed the function because the security forces have asked for it," the prime minister said while speaking from his private residence in Bouake, stronghold of the FN, while receiving a high level delegation from the country's armed forces.
"We need one or two weeks to see if we can get everything right," the prime minister said underlining that "the flame of peace will take place."
Initially planned for June 30, the ceremony to light the "flame of peace" was postponed to July 5 due to the African Union heads of state summit in Accra, capital of Ghana, and following a request by Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore and his South African counterpart Thabo Mbeki to participate in the ceremony where president Gbagbo will symbolically "set fire" on arms.
"I'm out to ensure that the ceremony will take place and instead of four heads of state, I will invite many more," Soro said.
He affirmed that he will "take measures" to ensure that the Bouake airport becomes "the most secure airport within the sub region."
"It's important for the presidents to come here, for them to land at the Bouake airport, for them to visit this city and take part in the ceremony. This is the only way of exorcising the ghosts of Bouake airport and I will do it," the prime minister said.
Guillaume Soro, leader of the former New Forces rebel group, was appointed to the position of Cote d'Ivoire's prime minister by President Soro following the successful conclusion of a peace agreement on March 4, 2007 in Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso.
The peace agreement notably calls for the redeployment of regional administration in the rebel-held north, disarmament of militia forces, identification of the population in readiness for elections which are supposed to end the current crisis afflicting the country.
The prime minister, was scheduled to preside over the ceremony for appointing magistrates in readiness for public meetings which are aimed at launching the voter registration process, when his plane came under attack from rockets and small arms fire after landing.
Although Soro came out of the attack unscathed, four members of his delegation perished while another 10 sustained injuries during the incident.
Source: Xinhua
|
|
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article