UN secretary general warns of Ivory Coast civil war

Ban Ki-moon said the incumbent, Laurent Gbagbo, was illegally trying to expel the UN's peacekeeping force after Alassane Ouattara emerged as victor.

Earlier, an ally of Gbagbo warned the peacekeepers that they could be treated as rebels if they did not leave.

In his first TV address since the poll, Gbagbo stressed his legitimacy, and surprised everyone when he offered to allow a panel representing international powers to examine the election results.

Gbagbo said Ouattara could leave the Golf Hotel in Abidjan, where he has set up his headquarters, protected by the UN.

The army meanwhile announced the lifting of a nightly curfew, so families could "enjoy the end of year holidays and the New Year".

In a speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Ban ki-moon said he was worried about the 10,000-strong mission in Ivory Coast (Unoci).

Gbagbo’s offer of the election panel was reportedly made to sound like a sign of goodwill, or even like a concession to "avoid another war".

Many consider this latest offer as a chance for Mr Gbagbo to extend a five-year political stalemate during which the election was always postponed and he stayed in power.

"I am concerned that this disruption of life-support supplies for the mission and the Golf Hotel will put our peacekeepers in a critical situation in the coming days," he said.

"I therefore strongly appeal to member states who are in a position to do so to prepare to support the mission.”

He added "Facing this direct and unacceptable challenge to the legitimacy of the United Nations, the world community cannot stand by.”

In response to this, Ban Ki-moon said that any attempt to "starve the United Nations mission into submission" would not be tolerated, and warned those who perpetrated such acts would be held accountable under international law.