Cote d'Ivoire leaders agreed in Pretoria on Wednesday to set a deadline of August 20 to dismantle pro-government militias in the west African country.

The statement issued by leaders of the Cote d'Ivoire government and rebels after two day peace talks said "the meeting noted that the actual disarmament and dismantling of the militia has not yet commenced."

"In this regard, it was agreed that this process will commence immediately and end by August 20, 2005," it said.

The Pretoria accord signed on April 6 ran into a major hurdle this week when rebel forces made clear that they would not abide by the June 27 deadline to disarm unless pro-government militias were taken out of action.

South African President Thabo Mbeki opened the talks, which was attended by his Cote d'Ivoire counterpart Laurent Gbagbo, his prime minister and three rivals including rebel leader Guillaume Soro at a presidential guesthouse in Pretoria.

Source: Xinhua