Laurent Gbagbo's party says not ready to join Cote d'Ivoire's new gov't

The Cote d'Ivoire Popular Front (FPI) of the country's deposed leader Laurent Gbagbo will not "be forced" to join the government of national unity which was recently announced by president Alassane Ouattara, the party's interim chairman Mamadou Koulibaly has said.

Koulibaly who is also the speaker of Cote d'Ivoire's parliament, said on Wednesday that "The conditions are not conducive for the party to join the new government."

He was speaking in Abidjan after a four-hour meeting of the FPI's Central Committee.

The party insists that in order to join the government, there's need to free all former regime's personalities who are currently in jail or under house arrest.

"The party members have asked about what will happen to our colleagues who have been arrested; and they have affirmed that they will only join the government of national unity if their comrades are freed," Koulibaly said.

Gbagbo who was arrested on April 11 this year was placed under house arrest in the northern part of the country just like majority of members of his regime.

As the forthcoming parliamentary elections approach, the FPI central committee is also concerned about the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), the electoral list, the number of parliamentarians as well as the issue of security.

"When we shall be ready, after the issues of security and the release of our comrades will have been dealt with, we shall seriously think of joining government. There's no need to hurry," Koulibaly reiterated.

He, however, said that the central committee has given the party officials the mandate to continue negotiating if they are contacted so that conducive conditions can be created for the party to join the government.

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