20110130
xinhua

ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The use of force should be the last resort in dealing with the political crisis in Cote d'Ivoire, African Union Commission Chairperson Jean Ping said on Saturday.

Jean Ping made the remarks at a press conference ahead of the 16th African Union summit scheduled for Jan. 30-31.

The use of force should be "the last thing, after you have exhausted all the other means," as it could lead to killings, which is not what Africa need, Jean Ping said.

He stressed that the AU supports a "political, peaceful and negotiated" solution to the Cote d'Ivoire crisis.

"Africa has decided to put the ball back to the center. And the center is Africa since it is an African problem," he said, adding that "there is a new recognition or a reaffirmation of the decision that it is (Alassane) Ouattara the winner."

The real question now is "how to bring Ouattara to exercise effectively the power, in consideration of the situation on the ground," he said.

"The Africans have decided that it must be reached through a political, peaceful and negotiated mechanism. Starting from this, all is clear. What is to be done is to put into place the decisions that have been taken and a panel has been set up to put into place these decisions," said the chairperson.

The panel, announced by the AU Peace and Security Council on Friday, will be set up in one day, he added.

As to the members of the panel, Jean Ping explained that " according to our habits, it will be a panel that comprises of heads of state of the five regions of Africa , east, west, north, south and center."

"As to the Cote d'Ivoire crisis, contrary to other crisis in Africa or elsewhere in the world, we have witnessed that non- African actors have been onto the stage, standing in front of Africans themselves, the United Nations included. But the Africans have already (been) taking measures which are being imposed, as well as those actors from exterior," he added.

Cote d'Ivoire has been trapped in a political impasse since the landmark presidential run-off held on Nov. 28. Both the incumbent Laurent Gbagbo and opposition leader Alassane Ouattara claimed victory and 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 and the international community including the United Nations (UN), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the United States and France.

ECOWAS has been urging Gbagbo to step down and vowed the use of "legitimate force" if he fails to do so.

Gbagbo has been defying international requests, and has ordered the UN peacekeeping mission in Cote d'Ivoire, known as UNOCI, to leave the country.