Ivory Coast’s incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo has rejected a deadline set by his rival for him to stand down, saying the international community is trying to stage a coup against him, reports BBC online Saturday. His rival, Alassane Ouattara, is widely recognised as the victor in elections last month. But Mr Gbagbo said the country could face greater violence if he were to leave office. The UN says some 200 people have been killed or have disappeared in the past month – mostly supporters of Mr Ouattara. It says it has received reports of at least two mass graves and has been repeatedly blocked from investigating one of them, on the outskirts of Abidjan. The other reported site lies in the centre of the country. The Gbagbo government has repeatedly denied the existence of any mass graves. UN human rights chief Navi Pillay has written to Mr Gbagbo to tell him he could be held criminally accountable for abuses. Some of Ivory Coast’s neighbours have threatened to oust Mr Gbagbo by force and the EU has agreed to widen a travel ban to 59 Gbagbo allies. But analysts say intervention in Ivory Coast would be far more difficult than West Africa’s previous operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Mr Ouattara is holed up in a hotel in the main city, Abidjan, protected by UN peacekeepers. Both men have been sworn in as president. Mr Gbagbo told Euronews he would be prepared to accept a recount, although he did not give any details of his proposals. The UN helped organise the poll and says Mr Ouattara won. Analysts say it would be unlikely to agree to a recount.
