Ivory Coast's rebels said Tuesday they were pulling out of a coalition government for now, accusing President Laurent Gbagbo of stalling the peace process and preparing for a possible return to war.

The rebels joined the West African country's government in April under a peace deal brokered by former colonial power France and designed to end a civil war that split the world's top cocoa producer and left thousands dead.

Rebel leader Guillaume Soro, who is also communications minister in the coalition, said Gbagbo had grown increasingly defiant and was blocking the accord while rearming his forces.

"From this moment, the New Forces suspend their participation in the government and the cabinet," said Soro, reading a statement after a meeting of leaders of the rebels -- now dubbed New Forces -- in their northern stronghold of Bouake.

He said the rebels remained committed to peace but warned: "At this rate, the resumption of war is not pure fantasy."

Cocoa prices in London jumped on the news and benchmark December futures gained more than five percent just weeks away from the height of the harvest.

Soro said the rebels were pulling out of a disarmament program and a committee meant to restore the authority of the southern-based government across the rebel-held and largely Muslim north.

Gbagbo's officials in the main city of Abidjan declined to comment.

GROWING SUSPICION

Ivory Coast's war, which blew up from a failed coup in September 2002, has been formally declared over. But progress toward peace has been bogged down by disputes and both sides remain deeply suspicious of each other.

Fighting left thousands of people dead and at its height displaced more than a million in a country once seen as a haven of stability. France has 4,000 soldiers in Ivory Coast to police a cease-fire and keep the warring factions apart.

Among many grievances cited by the rebels, who have nine government posts, were that they were not consulted properly by Gbagbo over the naming of defense and interior ministers.

The two ministers, whose jobs are crucial for any disarmament, were appointed on September 13 -- nearly six months after most of the cabinet.

The rebels also say that Gbagbo has failed to delegate his powers to the coalition government effectively, as he was supposed to do under the peace deal.

"The government of national reconciliation cannot govern," Soro said.

Gbagbo's supporters say the rebels are still plotting to topple him and are making excuses to delay disarmament.

Soro said a debate should be held urgently to promote economic activity in rebel-held areas, but said this was not meant to pave the way for possible secession.

Most of Ivory Coast's cocoa and coffee plantations, big businesses and the two vital ports are in the government-controlled south and west.

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