Cote d'Ivoire postpones national reconciliation forum

Abidjan- Cote d'Ivoire (PANA) -- Authorities in Abidjan have assured security guarantee for former leaders Henri Konan Bedie and General Robert Guei as well as ex-Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara, who have been invited to attend Cote d'Ivoire's reconciliation forum.
Its chairman, Seydou Diarra, declared the security guarantee when he announced postponement of the forum to 9 October.
Diarra, who was prime minister in Guei's military regime, told a press briefing on Wednesday that he has discussed the matter with the head of government and the senior minister in charge of Defence and Civil Protection.
Meanwhile, Diarra said resolutions and recommendations of the forum would not be binding on President Laurent Gbagbo, "who is actively involved in the talks".
Diarra said the forum was not a court but a platform aimed at "encouraging individuals to admit their mistakes and victims to forgive them".
The forum will mainly discuss the socio-political events which have taken place in Cote d'Ivoire since the 24 December 1999 coup d'etat led by Guei.
It would discussed the three days of riots between militants and supporters of rival political parties following the controversial presidential elections on 22 October 2000, the annulment of Ouattara's candidature in the parliamentary elections, and the "attempted" coup in early January 2001.
But Diarra said discussions could cover events that occurred prior to the 1999 coup, adding, "it is an open debate".
After the induction of its executive committee on 7 September, the forum will start receiving presentations from victims and perpetrators until 9 December.