20110104
reuters

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - African leaders ended meetings in Ivory Coast on Monday without persuading Laurent Gbagbo to cede power to his rival Alassane Ouattara, but the talks will go on, one of the envoys said.

Gbagbo, in power since 2000, has so far refused to concede that he lost the November 28 election to Ouattara, despite widespread international condemnation and the threat of force to oust him after U.N.-certified results showed Ouattara won.

Four leaders representing the West African regional bloc ECOWAS and the African Union (AU) met Gbagbo for several hours in the afternoon before meeting Ouattara in the lagoon-side hotel where he is holed up, guarded by U.N. peacekeepers.

It was the second visit by three west African heads of state -- Benin's Boni Yayi, Sierra Leone's Ernest Bai Koroma and Cape Verde's Pedro Pires -- who met Gbagbo last week. Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga joined them on Monday on the AU's behalf.

"We have had very, very important meetings ... At this stage we can only say the discussions are ongoing," Koroma said after the meetings ended.

"When discussions are ongoing, you don't expect anything to be concluded (yet)," he added as the group headed for the airport. No other details emerged from the talks.

ECOWAS has said it could use "legitimate force" if Gbagbo refuses to go quietly. Ouattara's rival government has said this is Gbagbo's last chance to leave peacefully and with immunity.

Asked if the mission would repeat an ultimatum for Gbagbo to leave or face force, ECOWAS Ivory Coast representative Doukoure Abram said earlier: "No, there will be discussions going on."