Sarkozy holds phone conversation with president-elect of Cote d'

PARIS, April 2 (Itar-Tass) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy has
held a telephone conversation with the president-elect of Cote d'Ivoire,
Alassane Ouattara, the Elysee Palace said Friday.
The topic of the conversation was the political crisis in that West
African country. French president briefed Ouattara on the meeting devoted
to the situation in Cote d'Ivoire he had held earlier. The meeting was
attended by Prime Minister Francois Fillon, Foreign Minister Alain Juppe
and Defense Minister Gerard Longuet.
Following this meeting France called on Laurent Gbagbo to end the
violence in Cote d'Ivoire, and immediately resign. Also, the leadership of
France considers it essential that in this situation Laurent Gbagbo should
"peacefully hand over power to elected president Alassane Ouattara."

.EU to start its own military humanitarian operation in Libya, if
asked by UN.