UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has accused Ivorian political leaders of destroying their country, warning of new international sanctions.

"I don't understand these Ivorian leaders, these men who believe they are capable of leading a country, who are seeking to become president of a country they are in the process of destroying," Annan said in an interview broadcast Saturday on Radio France Internationale (RFI).

The RFI broadcast Thursday an excerpt of this interview with Annan, who said it would be impossible to hold presidential elections in Cote d'Ivoire on Oct. 30 due to unpreparedness.

In the interview Annan said there was a "blockage" in the situation in Cote d'Ivoire. "Each side is waiting for the other. They've signed several agreements. They have no problem signing them, but implementation is another story," he said.

"If that's what is needed to get them moving, then the Security Council should apply them," he added

"I proposed acting several months ago, but the mediator -- South Africa -- wanted to wait. I think they've now begun to realize we need to be much more firm. Something has to be done," Annan said.

In July the UN Security Council held off applying sanctions as provided for under Resolution 1572 of Nov. 15, 2004, urging the two sides to fully implement peace accords under South African mediation.

Cote d'Ivoire was split into two by the 2002 civil war between New Forces rebels in the north and President Laurent Gbagbo's government in the south.

Source: Xinhua