20110101

ABIDJAN, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Laurent Gbagbo of Cote d'Ivoire said on Friday that he would not step down as president.

In a New Year's message to the nation, Gbagbo said he was not going to give up.

He also described the call for him to quit as "an attempted coup d' etat".

Gbagbo said no one has the right to call on foreign armies to invade his country.

"Our greatest duty to our country is to defend it from foreign attack,'' he said.

Cote d'Ivoire has been trapped in a political impasse since the landmark presidential run-off held on Nov. 28. Both Gbagbo and opposition leader Alassane Ouattara claimed victory, swore themselves in as president of the country and formed their respective government.

Gbagbo was backed by the country's Constitutional Council, while Ouattara has the support of the electoral commission.

The mission from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was in Abidjan on Tuesday to ask Gbagbo to cede power to his rival Alassane Ouattara. The mission of three African presidents left Cote d'Ivoire on Wednesday without any sign of success.

They have vowed to come back to Cote d'Ivoire on Jan. 3, 2011 to continue its mediation efforts.

ECOWAS has earlier urged Gbagbo to step down and vowed the use of legitimate force if he fails to heed its immutable demand.