Ivorian army unified for Gbagbo despite pressure

Abidjan, 23 Dec – (ANA) - Ivory Coast's army stands united behind incumbent Laurent Gbagbo, a spokesman said, after a top aide of rival presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara said world leaders may have to use force to oust him.

Separately, the state-run newspaper said that Gbagbo's signature was still being recognised on state accounts at the central bank of West Africa's monetary union, despite African leaders recognising Ouattara as president-elect.

Ministers from the West African Economic and Monetary Union bloc are scheduled to meet later today in Guinea-Bissau to discuss Ivory Coast, a bank official told Reuters.

Gbagbo is under international pressure to quit after a November 28 election that major powers say he lost to Ouattara, deepening a dispute in the West African state that has already killed 50 people and threatened to rekindle civil war.

"There is no doubt about the cohesion as perfect brothers in arms of the security and defence forces," army spokesman Babri Gohourou said in an address on state TV late on Wednesday.

The comment came hours after the prime minister of Ouattara's rival government, Guillaume Soro, said the "only solution" to the crisis was for world leaders to use force to oust him if other measures fail. (ANA)

FA/ANA/23 December 2010-----