UK Demands Gbagbo Leaves Cote D'Ivoire

UK Demands Gbagbo Leaves Cote D'Ivoire

The British government has demanded that Cote d'Ivoire leader Laurent Gbagbo, who has refused to step down after a disputed election, should ''go and go now'' .

Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister made the demand after meeting President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso in London , to discuss the situation in Cote d'Ivoire .

Gbagbo faces strong international pressure to quit in favour of challenger Alassane Ouattara, who is widely recognised as having won a presidential election on November 28 .

''West African leaders, including President Compaore, have made clear that they too wish to see a peaceful and swift transfer of power, and I welcome their firm stance on this issue,'' Clegg said.

Compaore, a regional power-broker, is visiting London and Paris on behalf of the ECOWAS, which is trying to resolve the crisis.

ECOWAS has threatened Gbagbo with force if he does not leave power; the U.S. and the EU have imposed travel bans and other sanctions on him and his inner circle.

Britain has said it would give support at the UN for the use of force to oust Gbagbo if West African nations sought backing for military intervention.

However, Foreign Secretary William Hague has played down any prospect of direct British military intervention.

The UN human rights office said last week that at least 247 people have been killed in violence in Ivory Coast since the disputed election.

REUTERS/NAN/Margaret/Yinka