More troops may be needed in Ivory Coast: Mbeki

President Thabo Mbeki

President Thabo Mbeki said today it might be necessary to send more troops to Ivory Coast to quell tension unless there is a deal soon between the government and rebels.

Mbeki stepped in to mediate in the West African country earlier this month after the Ivorian army attacked the rebel-held north, breaking an 18-month ceasefire in the world's top cocoa-growing country. "If it is clear that all sides are ready to implement the agreements as they are and implement them speedily, it may very well be that you do not need additional forces," Mbeki said on a visit to the Netherlands.

"But if there are problems resulting in continuing tension, indeed it may very well be that you might need more soldiers," he said after meeting Jan Peter Balkenende, the Dutch prime minister, whose country holds the rotating European Union presidency.

Wave of mob violence
Laurent Gbagbo, the Ivorian president, forces bombed the north two weeks ago, killing nine French peacekeepers. France responded by wiping out most of the Ivorian air force. France's action touched off a wave of mob violence against French and other foreign citizens in Ivory Coast. The conflict and civil unrest have subsided for now but tension remains high.

Mbeki is meeting leaders from all sides in a bid to broker a settlement and South African officials are due to meet rebel leader Guillaume Soro on Saturday. Mbeki told reporters the meeting would be held in the hope of securing an agreement as soon as possible on disarmament, new legislation and other obstacles to peace.

"That determination would come out of the assessment we must make by next week. We have to make an assessment by next week as to what are the prospects for movement, having seen all the principal players in the conflict," Mbeki said. "We need to hear from him (Soro) what he thinks, because then we would be able to determine what it is that needs to be done," he said.

The UN Security Council this week imposed an immediate arms embargo on Ivory Coast. Fears that war in Ivory Coast could suck in West African neighbours has prompted urgent talks among diplomats and African leaders, desperate to stop a country once feted as a model of post-independence prosperity from sliding into anarchy. Mbeki favours deploying African troops for peacekeeping in Africa with EU financial and logistical support. He said it was important that French peacekeepers remain in the Ivory Coast to prevent civil war. - Reuters