Cote d'Ivoire: AU now softens stand on Cote d'Ivoire

The African Union has backed off from its earlier position on a possible military intervention in Cote d'Ivoire if the incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo does not hand over to Alassane Ouattara, who has been recognised internationally to have won the elections last November. Instead, the AU has agreed to set up a panel of five Heads of State to find a settlement with a month.