BOUAKE, Ivory Coast, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Ivorian rebels say they will not begin disarming as planned Friday because political reforms promised by President Laurent Gbagbo have not been enacted.
Rebel leader Guillaume Soro told the United Nations Integrated Regional Information Networks he will wait "as long as it takes" for the reforms worked out in January 2003 to be instituted.
"Nothing is going to happen Oct. 15. We are still armed, the country is divided and parliament hasn't voted through the reforms," Soro said.
Soro, however, denied his New Forces rebel movement would break the cease-fire that has been in place since May 2003.
"The day the presidential camp wants genuine reconciliation we will be ready for it," he said. "We control 60 percent of the territory. We are in no more of a hurry than the presidential camp. Unlike in days gone by, we are prepared to wait for as long as it takes."
