Presidents meet Ouattara

African presidents trying to end Ivory Coast's crisis met presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara yesterday, but the South African leader was mobbed by angry pro-Ouattara youths, underlining the challenge they face.

Presidents from South Africa, Chad, Mauritania and Tanzania met Ouattara in the lagoon-side Golf Hotel, where he is guarded by UN troops, a day after meeting his rival, Laurent Gbagbo.

Gbagbo has refused to step down despite UN-certified results showing he lost a November 28 poll.