DAKAR, Oct 31 (AFP) - Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade on Thursday
refused to increase the number of soldiers Senegal will contribute to a
regional peacekeeping force for strife-torn Ivory Coast, tacitly rejecting
a request for Senegal to lead the force.
"As of today, our participation is 250 men. We do not feel it necessary
to have too many soldiers (in the force) and find that level sufficient,"
said Wade in an interview aired Thursday on Radio France International
(RFI).
Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the executive secretary of the Economic Community
of West African States (ECOWAS), the regional grouping that was
instrumental in brokering a ceasefire in Ivory Coast, said Monday after a
meeting with Wade that he wanted Senegal to increase the number of troops
it would supply for a west African peacekeeping force for Ivory Coast.
Chambas also said he wanted Senegal to lead the force but Wade's refusal
to increase Senegal's input amounted to a rejection of that request.
"We have not determined the contingents from the different countries but
once those have been announced it will be clear that Senegal has not
provided the largest contingent," Wade, who is also the acting head of
ECOWAS, told RFI.
He said ECOWAS directives stipulated that "the country with the largest
contingent" would command the peacekeeping force, dubbed ECOMOG.
"That is not Senegal's case," Wade said.
According to Wade, Togo will provide around 300 soldiers for the
peacekeeping force, making it the largest contributor and, therefore, the
leader of the force.
Sources in Ivory Coast's main city, Abidjan, said last week that Benin
and Togo would each provide 300 troops, Ghana around 260, Senegal 250 and
Niger 200.
Other west African countries that will provide manpower for the force
are Nigeria, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Gambia.
ECOWAS decided after a meeting on Saturday to deploy 2,000 peacekeepers
in Ivory Coast to monitor a ceasefire between government troops and rebels.
The west African peacekeepers will take over from French troops who have
been overseeing the truce, brokered by Senegalese Foreign Minister Cheikh
Tidiane Gadio on October 17.
The French have reported no violations of the ceasefire.
Ivorian rebels, who have gained controlled the northern half of the
country since they started fighting on September 19, on Thursday began a
second day of direct talks with representatives of the Ivorian government.
The peace talks are taking place in the Togolese capital, Lome.
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