UK would back troop deployment to Ivory Coast

• Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague says the U.K. would support a United Nations-sanctioned military intervention by Ivory Coast's neighbours if negotiations fail to persuade president Laurent Gbagbo to hand over power.
• Mr. Gbagbo's security forces are accused of abducting and torturing political opponents since the disputed Nov. 28 vote, which the U.N. said Mr. Gbagbo lost.
• Mr. Hague told BBC radio on Friday that Britain hopes Mr. Gbagbo can be persuaded to step down, or will go voluntarily following the freezing of his bank accounts.
• But the minister says the U.K. "would be supportive," if neighbouring west African states decide to send in troops to intervene.
• Mr. Gbagbo "should not underestimate the determination of the international community," Mr. Hague says.