LOME, Togo (AP) -- Ivory Coast's rebels on Wednesday rejected
the president's offer to hold a referendum on the constitution,
saying it was a diversion and had no effect on peace talks aimed at
ending a bloody two-month rebellion in one of West Africa's economic
hubs.
Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo said Tuesday he would
hold a referendum next year on whether to amend the constitution.
The president's move was seen as a sign of compromise: One
of the rebels' key demands is a revision of the constitution which
they say discriminates against some predominantly Muslim northern
tribes.
But the rebels also want Gbagbo to step down and hold new
elections, and the president wants the rebels to disarm.
"This declaration by Gbagbo was a diversion," rebel
spokesman Sidiki Konate said in Togo's capital Lome, where peace
talks have been limping along for three weeks. "We have a crisis on
our hands. We cannot be making promises to be carried out next
year."
Ivory Coast has been crippled by the uprising, which
exploded Sept 19. when rebels tried to oust Gbagbo.
Since then, insurgents have seized the northern half of the
country. Hundreds of people have been killed and tens of thousands
have fled their homes, including immigrants escaping a surge of
anti-foreigner sentiment in the former French colony.
West African neighbors fear a return to conflict could
destabilize the entire region. Ivory Coast is the world's largest
cocoa producer, and a traditional base for foreign businesses in
West Africa.
A cease-fire has held for a month, but both sides have been
rearming. Pro-government youth groups have called for a military
offensive against the rebels.
French troops monitoring the cease-fire are to be replaced
by a 1,260-strong West African force by the end of the month. On
Tuesday, Ghana's defense minister said its contingent of 247
soldiers would leave for the Ivory Coast on Saturday.
The rebels say they are fighting to protect the rights of
northern Ivorians, who complain of discrimination by the Christian
and animist southern tribes that traditionally have dominated the
government.

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