BERLIN, Oct 26 (AFP) - Togo's president and chairman of the Organisation
of
African Unity (OAU) said Thursday that an urgent meeting of a 10-nation
committee would be convened to examine the situation in Ivory Coast.
   President Gnassingbe Eyadema, speaking to journalists during a visit to
Germany, said the so-called "Committee of Ten" states could meet within
eight
days.
   The ten states are Togo, South Africa, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Djibouti,
Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal.
   He also said that Togo was prepared to give refuge to the ousted military
leader of Ivory Coast, General Robert Guei, "if he asks for it".
   Algeria also earlier called for the rapid convening of the "Committee of
Ten" African states, which was mandated by an OAU summit meeting in the
Togolese capital Lome in July to come up with recommendations for the
democratisation of Ivory Coast.
   Earlier Thursday, during a meeting in Berlin with German President
Johannes
Rau, Eyadema called for new elections in Ivory Coast, a German presidential
spokeswoman said.
   "Speaking as chairman of the OAU, he said that the OAU would now advocate
holding new elections in Ivory Coast," a spokeswoman at Rau's office said.
   On Wednesday, Eyadema had said in a statement that the weekend election
had
not been held fairly, but urged protesters to remain calm to avoid Ivory
Coast
"sinking into chaos".
   South African President Thabo Mbeki on Wednesday also called for new
elections in the country to include candidates who had been prevented from
taking part, warning of the danger of "enormous conflict" in the west
African
nation.
   Eyadema is due to travel to France on Thursday and plans to meet with
President Jacques Chirac.
   dlc/ma/cml

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