No deal

France's efforts to impose a peace accord have failed. Côte d'Ivoire will now dominate the Franco-African summit in Paris on 19-21 February, far more than the controversial presence of President Robert Mugabe, who is in any case coming more to discuss Congo-Kinshasa than Zimbabwe. This is a blow to President Jacques Chirac, who hoped his first summit after winning a parliamentary majority last year might be a more positive affair (AC Vol 44 No 2). Worse, the United States is piling on the pressure, telling Paris that if it wants support at the United Nations over Côte d'Ivoire, it needs to back war on Iraq. So much for France's triumphant return to Africa.

Article Tags:
France, Robert Mugabe, Congo-Kinshasa, Zimbabwe, Jacques Chirac, United States, Iraq, Jean-Louis Menudier, Robert Nouzaret, Moroccan, Omar Kabbaj, Ghana, Tunisia, Laurent Gbagbo, Charles Blé Goudé, Simone, Moïse Koré, Seka, Patrice Bailly, Camara Yéréfé, Mathias Doué, Lycée Jean Mermoz, Front Populaire Ivoirien, Rassemblement des Républicains

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