South Africa urges caution on Ivory Coast crisis

A debate over who won elections in Ivory Coast would set back attempts to resolve the crisis, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, the South African Foreign Minister, said yesterday.

She described the outcome of Ivory Coast's November elections as "inconclusive" and refused to say who South Africa believed had won.

International organisations say Alassane Ouattara was the victor, but incumbent Laurent Gbagbo has refused to step down. The stand-off has led to a humanitarian crisis and fears of civil war.