- In their efforts to find a lasting resolution to the four-year-old conflict that divided Côte d'Ivoire, African leaders today began meeting in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. The meeting closed door meeting is taking place in the African Union (AU) headquarters.
In attendance at the meeting include seven heads of states of the African Union Peace and Stability Council (PSC), Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo and Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny.
Heads of state of Gabon, Congo-Brazzaville, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Malawi and Ethiopia are attending the talks.
A 2002 rebellion launched by New Forces against President Laurent Gbagbo has since divided the country into two.
The close door meeting is also expected to discuss whether the South African President, Thabo Mbeki, should continue with his meddling in Côte d'Ivoire. He is accused of being too close to President Gbagbo.
The outcome of today's meeting will be tabled before the UN Security Council for further discussion on 25 October.
The meeting is studying recommendations submitted by leaders of West African Economic Community (ECOWAS) at an earlier summit on 6 October in which they proposed to extend the term of both President Gbagbo and PM Banny to another year, without holding elections. Their terms in office expired at the end of October but planned elections were twice delayed. ECOWAS recommended the extension to take place so that preparations for elections now finally could take place.
Also last year, the UN extended President Gbagbo's term of office by a year after which elections would be held. The UN has again announced the endorsement of the extension to allow a new Security Council resolution to be passed in a bid to secure peace.
It is not clear whether today's meeting will endorse the recommendations of ECOWAS. In addition, the ECOWAS recommendation specified the terms of office for both President Gbagbo and Prime Minister Banny and also needed reforms to create a unified armed force in a country that is divided between North and South.
Under this agreement, Mr Gbagbo remains the President but the Prime Minister attains authority over the defence and security forces to enable him achieve the tasks assigned to him.
The meeting is also expected to discuss whether the South African President Thabo Mbeki, who is accused of being too close to President Gbagbo, should continue with his mediation process in Côte d'Ivoire.
The UN Secretary General's special representative for Côte d'Ivoire, Pierre Schori, hailed the meeting of the CPS as "very important". There is a "rare and strong mobilisation of the African Heads of State to regulate the crisis", the UN leader declared.
The meeting of CPS is one of the principal bodies of the African Union.
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