IVORY COAST President Alassane Ouattara offered a hearty welcome to his predecessor Laurent Gbagbo on Tuesday as the rivals met for the first time since the West African country’s deadly 2010-11 conflict, saying the turmoil was “behind us”.
“How are you, Laurent? Happy to see you,” Ouattara said as Gbagbo arrived at the presidential palace in the Ivorian economic capital Abidjan.
At a joint news conference after their meeting, Ouattara said: “This crisis created differences, but that is behind us. What is important for Ivory Coast is peace in our country.”
Gbagbo, for his part, called for the release of prisoners held since the crisis, which was sparked by his refusal to accept defeat at the ballot box to Ouattara.
Gbagbo, 76, has leapt into the spotlight since returning last month from Europe, after having been acquitted for crimes against humanity in a landmark case heard at the International Criminal
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