AU Endorses Proposals Made For Political Solution In Cote d'Ivoire

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, March 11 (Bernama) -- The African Union (AU) endorsed the proposal made by the AU High Level Panel for the Resolution of the Crisis in Cote d'Ivoire early Friday morning, according to a report by China's Xinhua news agency.

The proposal is said to be an overall political solution to the crisis in the country.

The endorsement was made at the meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council which was held at the presidential level, following the meeting of the High Level Panel, at the AU Commission headquarters here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

"The Council endorses the recommendations of the High-Level Panel as contained in its report, as well as the proposals made for all political solution to the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire, which offers a viable basis for a way out of the crisis that reconciles respect for democracy and the quest for peace," said the meeting's communique.

"The Council requests the AUC Chairperson to appoint a High Representative for the implementation of the overall political solution, as endorsed by Council, and to complete the process for a way out of the crisis as follows: convening, under the auspices of the AU and ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), within the next two weeks, of negotiations between the Ivorian parties to develop modalities for the implementation of the proposals submitted by the High Level Panel as endorsed by the Council, with all the necessary guarantees for all concerned actors, in particular for the outgoing President Laurent Gbagbo; mobilisation of the support of AU partners for the early conclusion of the agreement for a way out of the crisis; and submission, to a meeting of council, of a comprehensive report on the results of its efforts," said the communique.