Ivorians urged to talk

French soldiers have deployed in a buffer zone

African leaders have again called for immediate negotiations between the government and rebels to end the Ivory Coast's five-week political crisis.

Speaking after closed talks in the commercial capital, Abidjan, they also repeated their call for the urgent deployment of regional peacekeepers although no dates were set.

When the house of your neighbour burns, you have to help him put out the flames or yours will be next

Togo President Gnassingbe Eyadema

The meeting late on Wednesday was also overshadowed by allegations from an Ivorian army official that the rebels have broken the ceasefire both sides agreed to last week, although that could not be confirmed.

The two sides in the conflict, which has seen the country split into two, have not yet met, but they have agreed to stop fighting for talks to take place.

Military chiefs-of-staff from West African countries are due to meet on Friday to pledge troops for a peacekeeping force which would be in place within two weeks.

Breaking point

Speaking after the meeting, Togolese President Gnassingbe Eyadema who as chosen as mediator, warned that regional peace depended on ending the Ivorian crisis.

"When the house of your neighbour burns, you have to help him put out the flames or yours will be next," he said.

The grand opening ceremony on Wednesday in Abidjan was two hours late beginning and lasted just five minutes.

Our correspondent says that the French ambassador continued to read his newspaper and refused to stand as President Laurent Gbagbo entered the room.

Relations between the two countries, he said, are at breaking point.

On Wednesday morning, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin warned President Gbagbo that the attacks on Europeans on Tuesday could jeopardise the French army's role in monitoring the ceasefire with rebels.

Violation

An Ivorian army spokesman on Wednesday accused the rebels of violating the ceasefire in Daloa, the cocoa capital which loyalist forces recaptured from the rebels last week.

"Since 0500 (GMT), rebels on the Daloa front have launched attacks against positions held by army soldiers," Lieutenant Colonel Jules Yao Yao said on national television.

Rebels demand fresh elections

He also accused the rebels of seizing a local television station in rebel-held Bouake and using it to broadcast anti-government messages.

He said the government reserved the right to respond with force if necessary.

But a French army spokesman said that he had heard nothing about fighting in Daloa.

There is "no break in the ceasefire, to our knowledge," he told the French news agency AFP.