Fighting breaks out in the west

Fighting broke out on Wednesday in northwestern Cote d'Ivoire between rebels and loyalist forces, army spokesman Lt-Col Jules Yao Yao said in a televised statement.

Yao Yao charged that Mouvement patriotique de Cote d'Ivoire (MPCI) rebels had attacked loyalist positions between the western town of Man and Seguela in the northwest. "Coming from Seguela on board about 20 four-wheel-drive vehicles, the insurgents are now battling with the regular forces at Semian, about 50 km northeast of Man," he said early on Wednesday afternoon.

"Because of these serious developments, and without questioning the principle that the defence and security forces must be submissive to the government, the defence staff considers this attack uncalled for," he said. "The defence staff has decided to act as of now."

Sidiki Konate, a rebel spokesman in Lome, Togo, where peace talks between delegations representing the state and the rebels have been going on since late October, denied that the MPCI had attacked loyalist positions.

The fighting represents the first major clash between the two sides since a ceasefire signed on 17 October by the rebels and accepted by the government. The ceasfire paved the way for the Lome talks which, however, have been stalled for weeks.

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin arrived in the region on Tuesday for a three-day visit with a view to reviving the negotiations, led by Togolese President Gnassingbe Eyadema. Villepin arrived in Abidjan on Wednesday after holding separate meetings with the two sides.

"The arrival of the French Foreign Minister in Togo is a hope for us all," Laurent Dona Fologo, head of the governmental delegation, said after the meetings, in which Eyadema also participated. "The key to the problem will soon be found. We hope that the crisis will perhaps be resolved within days or hours."

Villepin said he felt "the basis for an agreement already exists and on each side there is a will for peace."