The United Nations on Friday urged Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo and his opponents to agree as soon as possible on a new prime minister to break a deadlock over the political future of the war-divided country, Reuters reported. "This is up to Ivorians," Pierre Schori, U.N. special envoy to the Ivory Coast, told a news conference. He called on both sides to urgently implement a U.N.-backed peace plan calling for the appointment of a new strong premier until elections can be held in the West African state. Gbagbo's current term ends on Sunday and rebels holding the north of the world's top cocoa producer demand he step down, while the U.N.-backed blueprint recommends he stay on with a new premier for up to a year until elections. Polls which should have been held on Sunday are not taking place because of the political deadlock, and opposition youth leaders have threatened to rally supporters to force Gbagbo out if he does not leave office on midnight Sunday. He has ordered the army to keep the peace.
