The new strongman of Cote d'Ivoire, General Robert Guei, announced on Saturday in Abidjan the establishment of a junta consisting of 10 military officers with himself being the president.

Agence France-Presse quoted Guei as saying that he would also contact the principal leaders of the country's opposition, including Alassane Ouattara and Laurent Gbagbo, in order to establish a government of "large consensus" in future.

"We will contact all those who are in politics, we will ask them to come and see us so that the work we are doing will have the consensus of all," Guei was quoted as saying.

The junta consists of General Palenfo, former director of financial service of the army, General of Army and Air Force Abdoulaye Coulibaly, and "young officers and sub-officers who joined the mutiny" which broke out on Thursday in Abidjan and resulted in the toppling of President Henri Konan Bedie.