France is ready to evacuate its nationals from Ivory Coast at any time, Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said today after four days of riots in its former west Africa colony.
"We are ready at any moment to proceed with the evacuation" of French nationals from Ivory Coast. "We are monitoring the situation by the hour," said de Villepin on radio RTL.
A French-brokered deal to end four months of war in the west African country looked close to collapse today under pressure from violence on the streets and dissent within the government and the armed forces.
Mr de Villepin, who acknowledged that the situation was "very difficult," however insisted "We have avoided the worst in Ivory Coast.
"We are battling for the path to peace and reconciliation to be realised.
"Today everything hinges on the political courage of the Ivorian authorities," he added.
Thousands of youths rioted for a fourth day in Abidjan yesterday against the pact under which President Laurent Gbagbo remains president but with limited powers and puts rebel leaders in key cabinet posts.
The army has categorically refused to accept the terms of the peace deal sealed during a regional African meeting in Paris at the weekend.
Four days of violent protests in Abidjan have seen the French embassy being besieged for several hours and several French-owned businesses and offices vandalised, including those of Air France and telecoms firm Orange.
The French foreign minister called on Gbagbo to respect the commitments given in Paris.
"The first duty of a political leader is to know how to respect commitments and to understand how to explain them to his own side," De Villepin said.
"President Gbagbo has seen his position confirmed..and has chosen a prime minister for reconciliation," he said.
"We are in a delicate transition period...the Ivorian army must today understand the situation and accept the process of reconciliation," he declared.
AFP