ECOWAS Cote D'Ivoire Envoys Meet In Nigeria

ECOWAS Cote D'Ivoire Envoys Meet In Nigeria

Regional leaders of ECOWAS, the Presidents of Benin, Cape Verde and Sierra Leone, are to report the outcome of their meeting with Cote d'Ivoire's Laurent Gbagbo, to Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan.

The leaders are in Abuja, Nigeria's capital on Tuesday, to brief President Jonathan, who is also the ECOWAS Chairman.

They were joined in Abidjan, on Monday by an African Union representative, Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, to persuade Laurent Gbagbo step down in the face of the country's political impasse.

The delegation of ECOWAS and the African Union has so far; been unable to persuade incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo to stand down following disputed polls.

The group went to Ivory Coast to offer him an amnesty if he left.

There has been no official response from Mr. Gbagbo.

It was the leaders' second trip to Abidjan in less than a week.

During their latest talks, they were reported to have offered Mr. Gbagbo a legal amnesty as well as a guarantee that his financial assets would be secure, if he left office.

The UN and the international community believe Mr. Gbagbo lost the November 28 th presidential vote and have threatened to use force if he does not stand down.

His rival, Alassane Ouattara, is internationally recognised as the winner.

Dignified exit

Meanwhile in Washington, officials said the US could help Mr. Gbagbo make a ' dignified exit' by lifting a travel ban so he could move there.

NAN/BBC/Margaret/Ýinka