ABUJA, Nigeria, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- West African leaders said Monday they are planning to intervene to rescue the faltering Ivory Coast peace process.
The executive secretary of the Economic Community of West African States, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, told the BBC Ghanaian President John Kufuor and Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo were preparing an "urgent intervention" to resolve the situation.
Chambas told the BBC Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo had met with both presidents, while rebel leader Guillaume Soro had been in the Nigerian capital during the weekend to see Obasanjo.
Chambas said ECOWAS had allowed the Liberian situation to divert its attention and that the situation in Ivory Coast was now a cause for deep concern. He added, "It appears that while we were all focused on Liberia, things did get out of control and we need to refocus on Ivory Coast."
The Ivory Cost has been in crisis since an attempted coup divided the nation 13 months ago.
