ABIDJAN, (Reuters) – Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga ended an African Union mediation mission to Ivory Coast today, saying talks had failed to resolve a dispute over the Nov. 28 presidential election.
“Despite extensive discussions … with Mr Laurent Gbagbo and President-elect Alassane Ouattara, that went very late into the night, I regret to announce that the breakthrough that was needed, did not materialise,” he told reporters at the airport as he was about to leave.
“Time is running out,” he added of efforts to peacefully resolve the stand-off between the two rival claimants that risks sending the world’s top cocoa grower back into a civil war.
