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US Freezes Assets of Ivory Coast's Gbagbo

   VOA News 07 January 2011
   United  Nations  troops  from  Niger  drive  past a billboard of Ivory
   Coast's  internationally  recognized  elected leader Alassane Ouattara
   during a patrol in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 4 Jan 2011

Photo: AP / Sunday Alamba

   United  Nations  troops  from  Niger  drive  past a billboard of Ivory
   Coast's  internationally  recognized  elected leader Alassane Ouattara
   during a patrol in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 4 Jan 2011

   The  United  States  has  frozen  the  assets of Ivory Coast President
   Laurent  Gbagbo,  who has refused to step down following the country's
   presidential run-off election in November.
   The   U.S.   Treasury   Department   on  Thursday  said  Mr.  Gbagbo's
   unwillingness  to  accept  the official election results has created a
   crisis   in  Ivory  Coast,  where  210  people  have  been  killed  in
   post-election violence.
   A Treasury Department official, Adam Szubin, said Mr. Gbagbo continues
   to  demonstrate  "wanton disregard" for the will and well being of the
   Ivorian people.
   The  United  Nations,  the  United States, the African Union and other
   world  powers  recognize Mr. Gbagbo's rival, Alassane Ouattara, as the
   winner  of  the  election. The West African bloc ECOWAS has threatened