IVORY COAST GOVERNMENT AND REBEL LEADERS TOLD AFRICAN UNION CHAIRMAN DENIS SASSOU NGUESSO ON SATURDAY THEY WANTED A QUICK AND SIMULTANEOUS START TO DISARMAMENT AND VOTER REGISTRATION, REUTERS REPORTED. THE WORLD'S TOP COCOA GROWER HAS BEEN SPLIT INTO A REBEL HELD NORTH AND GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED SOUTH SINCE A 2002-2003 CIVIL WAR. A SERIES OF PEACE ACCORDS SINCE 2003 HAVE FAILED TO REUNITE THE COUNTRY IN TIME FOR ELECTIONS DUE IN OCTOBER. PREVIOUS TALKS HAVE FOUNDERED ON THE REBELS' REFUSAL TO DISARM BEFORE PEOPLE IN THE NORTH OF THE COUNTRY, WHO THEY SAY HAVE BEEN DISENFRANCHISED DUE TO THEIR RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL LINKS WITH NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES, HAD BEEN GUARANTEED A VOTE IN THE ELECTIONS THROUGH A NEW CITIZEN IDENTIFICATION PROCESS. BUT SASSOU, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND HOLDER OF THE REVOLVING AU CHAIR, SAID ALL SIDES HAD EXPRESSED THE DESIRE TO START BOTH PROCESSES SIMULTANEOUSLY. 'THE WISH WAS EXPRESSED TO START DISARMAMENT AND IDENTIFICATION SIMULTANEOUSLY, NOW, UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNMENT,' SASSOU TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE AFTER MEETING WITH PRESIDENT LAURENT GBAGBO, INTERIM PRIME MINISTER CHARLES KONAN BANNY, REBEL CHIEF GUILLAUME SORO AND THE TWO MAIN OPPOSITION POLITICAL LEADERS. NO START DATE WAS GIVEN FOR THE EFFORTS. PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS TO BEGIN DISARMING REBELS AND PRO-GOVERNMENT MILITIAS HAVE COME TO NOTHING. 'WE ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE ELECTIONS ON OCTOBER 31,' SASSOU SAID, REFERRING TO THE DEADLINE FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ALREADY DELAYED BY A YEAR UNDER A U.N.-BACKED PEACE PLAN. THAT PLAN ALLOWED GBAGBO TO REMAIN IN OFFICE FOR ANOTHER YEAR AFTER HIS ORIGINAL MANDATE HAD EXPIRED, AND SAW REGIONAL CENTRAL BANKER BANNY APPOINTED AS INTERIM PREMIER WITH EXTENDED POWERS TO SEE THROUGH DISARMAMENT AND REUNIFICATION. YOUNG SUPPORTERS OF GBAGBO ACCUSED INTERNATIONAL MEDIATORS OF INTERFERING IN IVORIAN AFFAIRS AND ATTACKED U.N. INSTALLATIONS AND PEACEKEEPERS IN JANUARY IN SOME OF THE WORST VIOLENCE FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, BUT RENEWED CONTACTS BETWEEN THE BELLIGERENT PARTIES HAVE SINCE GIVEN SOME CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM. THE UNITED NATIONS HAS 7,000 TROOPS AND 700 INTERNATIONAL POLICE OFFICERS STATIONED IN IVORY COAST ALONGSIDE 4,000 FRENCH TROOPS, SECURING KEY INSTALLATIONS AND A BUFFER ZONE BETWEEN THE REBEL AND GOVERNMENT ZONES.
