President Kufuor leaves for Ivory Coast

Accra, Oct. 30, GNA- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday left Accra for Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to consult with the Ivorian leader, Laurent Gbagbo, on the need to consolidate peace in that country. Briefing pressmen at the Kotoka Internation Airport, Mr Kwabena Agyapong, Presidential Press Secretary, said President Kufuor had been consulting with other key players, including former President Konan Bedie, on the Ivorian crisis.

"These meetings are mostly centred around the peace accords signed in the French town of Marcoussis and Accra which initiated the government of National Unity in the Ivory Coast," he said.

The accords, brokered by the French Government and West African leaders in March this year, followed peace talks to resolve months of political conflict between the government and insurgents who seized the northern half of the country.

According to Mr Agyapong, Thursday's trip is another effort by President Kufuor, who is also Chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to resolve misunderstandings arising out of the implementation of the two accords.

The President flew on a Nigerian presidential plane to the Ivorian capital and will be joined there by President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria.

Vice President Aliu Mahama and the Inspector General of Police Owusu Nsiah saw the President off. He is expected back later in the day.