While his residence is under siege, Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo is speaking with international negotiators about a possible departure, a United Nations spokesperson reported Wednesday.

An agreement was believed to have been reached Tuesday, but the president later maintained the conversations were only about a cease-fire. Mr. Gbagbo firmly refuses to acknowledge the victory of his rival, Alassane Ouattara in the November presidential elections.

South Africa, Togo and Angola are possible places of exile for the beleaguered Ivorian president. These are high-level anonymous locations close to African Union headquarters it was said Wednesday.

Hundreds, possibly thousands of people have been killed in the recent months of the West African country’s power struggle. Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court in The Hague is investigating possible crimes committed by Mr Ouattara during the political violence. ICC chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo said Wednesday he is “very concerned” about the situation in the Ivory Coast and reports of massacres. 

A plane from the Red Cross arrived in the region Wednesday with 12 million tons of supplies, a first since all deliveries prior were made by land. The Dutch Red Cross has also opened an account for donations to victims of the conflict with Giro 5125.

(lo)

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