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| Ivory Coast's disarmament begins | Ivory Coast's disarmament begins |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Rebels and government forces in Ivory Coast have begun the process of disarmament more than five years after the country descended into violence. | Rebels and government forces in Ivory Coast have begun the process of disarmament more than five years after the country descended into violence. |
| Ceremonies are being held in towns on either side of the ceasefire line which divides the rebel-run north from the government-controlled south. | Ceremonies are being held in towns on either side of the ceasefire line which divides the rebel-run north from the government-controlled south. |
| Former enemies President Laurent Gbagbo and ex-rebel leader Guillaume Soro forged a partnership in March. | Former enemies President Laurent Gbagbo and ex-rebel leader Guillaume Soro forged a partnership in March. |
| Mr Soro was then appointed prime minister in a power-sharing government. | Mr Soro was then appointed prime minister in a power-sharing government. |
| Mr Gbagbo and Mr Soro started the day in the government-held town of Tiebissou just south of the ceasefire line, where they watched a loyalist militia group symbolically assemble and then move away from the frontier towards the capital, Yamassoukro. | Mr Gbagbo and Mr Soro started the day in the government-held town of Tiebissou just south of the ceasefire line, where they watched a loyalist militia group symbolically assemble and then move away from the frontier towards the capital, Yamassoukro. |
| Also present was the UN's special representative in Ivory Coast, Choi Young-jin. | Also present was the UN's special representative in Ivory Coast, Choi Young-jin. |
| "Starting today, you will quit the front lines. There is no more front in Ivory Coast," President Gbagbo told the troops. | "Starting today, you will quit the front lines. There is no more front in Ivory Coast," President Gbagbo told the troops. |
| Later the leaders will witness a similar ceremony in Djebonoua, in the north, where rebel troops - or New Forces as they are known - will move out to the town of Bouake. | Later the leaders will witness a similar ceremony in Djebonoua, in the north, where rebel troops - or New Forces as they are known - will move out to the town of Bouake. |
| National reconciliation | National reconciliation |
| BBC correspondent John James says this could be one of the most significant steps towards the planned reunification of Ivory Coast, a country with one government but two armies controlling the northern and southern halves. | |
| Critics say the ceremonies are merely "symbolic acts" after a previous attempt at disarmament failed last year. | Critics say the ceremonies are merely "symbolic acts" after a previous attempt at disarmament failed last year. |
| In March the two sides in the conflict set aside peace deals brokered by the international community to negotiate directly and sign their own agreement. | In March the two sides in the conflict set aside peace deals brokered by the international community to negotiate directly and sign their own agreement. |
| This agreement set out a timetable for the peace process, which gave December 22 as the last possible date for the start of disarmament. | This agreement set out a timetable for the peace process, which gave December 22 as the last possible date for the start of disarmament. |
| The peace deal put Mr Gbagbo and Mr Soro in the driving seat of the peace process - and in particular the organisation of long-postponed elections. | The peace deal put Mr Gbagbo and Mr Soro in the driving seat of the peace process - and in particular the organisation of long-postponed elections. |
| Since the deal, UN peacekeepers have stopped policing the ceasefire line and movement between the two halves of the country has become easier. | Since the deal, UN peacekeepers have stopped policing the ceasefire line and movement between the two halves of the country has become easier. |
| But disarmament has been one of the toughest issues in the process of national reconciliation. | But disarmament has been one of the toughest issues in the process of national reconciliation. |
| Thousands of soldiers need to find new work, while others will be integrated into the new, joint national army. | Thousands of soldiers need to find new work, while others will be integrated into the new, joint national army. |
| The prime minister's office says the disarmament process should take three months. | The prime minister's office says the disarmament process should take three months. |
| Our correspondent says the next few weeks will be crucial in determining the willingness of both sides to pull back and disarm their fighters. | Our correspondent says the next few weeks will be crucial in determining the willingness of both sides to pull back and disarm their fighters. |