AFRICA/CÔTE D' IVOIRE - Crisis takes positive turn

Abidjan (Fides Service)- “An important development to be encouraged by the international community” say local Church sources with regard to the presence at a government meeting in Abidjan on 15 March of Guillaume Soro one of the main leaders of the New Forces rebellion which controls the north west of the country since September 2002.
“The fact that Soro after years went to Abidjan the economic capital demonstrates that the parties have consolidated greater reciprocal trust. Very often lack of trust was the reason why agreements reached with difficulty failed” our sources say.
A cease fire agreement signed in January 2003 in France established a national unity government with the participation of opposition and rebels. The present government led by Charles Konan Banny was formed last December to replace the previous one which had reached an impasse due to divergences between President Laurent Gbagbo and the opposition. Soro, number two in government, was last in Abidjan in October 2004 on the eve of serious clashes between army and rebel troops.
While President Gbagbo welcomed the presence of Soro as “a positive development in the national crisis”, for his part the New Forces leader stressed the urgent need to build a unified army as a condition for restoring peace in Côte d'Ivoire. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 17/3/2006 righe 24 parole 260)