Ivory Coast warns of civil war

Abidjan, 26 Dec – (ANA) - Foreign intervention to oust Ivory Coast's incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo could ignite a civil war, one of his spokesmen has said.

 West African leaders have warned of military action if Mr Gbagbo refuses to hand power to rival Alassane Ouattara.

 But Ahoua Don Mello said such a move could spark an "interior war" due to foreign workers living in the country, AFP reports.

 Mr Gbagbo has refused to step aside following November's disputed election.

 Ivory Coast was "a country of immigration" from around the region, Mr Mello said.

 "All these countries have citizens in Ivory Coast, and they know if they attack Ivory Coast from the exterior it would become an interior civil war," he said.

 "Is Burkina Faso ready to welcome three million Burkinabe migrants back in their country of origin?" Mr Mello asked.

 Millions of West African immigrants from poorer neighbouring states work in Ivory Coast's relatively prosperous cocoa-led economy. (ANA)

FA/ANA/26 December 2010-----