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Peace plan for Ivory Coast agreed Peace plan for Ivory Coast agreed
(about 3 hours later)
The Ivory Coast government and rebel movement have signed an accord in a fresh attempt to revive the country's stalled peace process. The Ivory Coast government and the rebel movement have signed an accord in a fresh attempt to revive the country's stalled peace process.
The deal was signed in neighbouring Burkina Faso by President Laurent Gbagbo and rebel leader Guillaume Soro. The two sides agreed to form a new power-sharing government within five weeks and to set a joint army command.
The aim is to unite Ivory Coast, which has been split since rebels seized the northern half of the country in 2002. The deal was signed in Burkina Faso by President Laurent Gbagbo and rebel leader Guillaume Soro.
Details of the deal are sketchy, but are said to include the formation of a new power-sharing government. Its aim is to unite Ivory Coast, which has been split since rebels seized the northern half of the country in 2002.
The two sides are also reported to have made progress on the identification of people eligible to vote - a key sticking point. The accord, signed in the capital of Burkina Faso Ouagadougou, comes after a month of negotiations between the two sides.
Elections, originally due in 2004, have twice been postponed as previous UN-backed deals have collapsed. Cautious optimism
Plans to disarm militias and carry out a population census ahead of polls have so far failed to get off the ground. It is not yet clear who will be named prime minister of the new government, but there is strong speculation that Mr Soro has been offered the job.
The rebels and opposition groups say many northerners and Muslims are being discriminated against by not being included on the electoral roll. The buffer zone between the two sides - known as the confidence zone - is to be removed. It is currently patrolled by 10,000 French and UN troops.
Mr Gbagbo's supporters say they are foreigners and so should not be allowed to vote. The joint army command - to be set up within two weeks - is to include both rebels and supporters of Mr Gbagbo.
The deal sets a timetable for disarmament and for a mass identification programme to give identity cards to the millions of Ivorians who do not have them.
It is estimated that elections, which have been postponed twice already, could be held in 10 months.
The BBC's James Copnall in Ouagadougou says the accord is Ivory Coast's best ever hope for lasting peace, but past failures suggest there is no guarantee the chance will be taken.
This is only the latest in a long list of deals and Ivorian politicians are famous for not respecting the accords they have signed, our correspondent says.
However this deal is a result of direct dialogue between President Gbagbo and Mr Soro and this will incite cautious optimism, he adds.
The rebels from the mainly Muslim north launched an attempted coup against President Gbagbo in September 2002, complaining of widespread discrimination.The rebels from the mainly Muslim north launched an attempted coup against President Gbagbo in September 2002, complaining of widespread discrimination.
More than 10,000 French and UN troops are in the country, most patrolling the ceasefire line.