The United Nations appealed to the people of Ivory Coast not to blame the international community for delays in disarming

fighters, saying all it could do was lend support to the country?s government. The UN is deploying peacekeepers in the country, the world?s top cocoa grower, after a civil war that left thousands dead. But some of President Laurent Gbagbo?s supporters say the world body is failing to disarm rebels quickly enough.

?Know that disarmament is the direct responsibility of the government of national reconciliation in Ivory Coast,? Albert Tevoedjre, head of the UN mission in the former French colony, said in an open letter to the Ivorian people. ?Know that the UN can under no circumstances act as a substitute for the country?s authorities or the signatories of the Marcoussis agreement,? a French-brokered peace deal struck in January 2003.

Thousands of pro-government militants protested earlier this month outside the UN peacekeeping headquarters in the main city of Abidjan, calling for Tevoedjre?s resignation.

Their demands followed a leaked UN report which blamed security forces and pro-government militia for killing at least 120 people ? many of them civilians ? in a crackdown on a banned opposition rally in March. Tensions in the former French colony have risen further since Gbagbo sacked three ministers in a power-sharing government last week for boycotting cabinet meetings in protest over the violent end to the march.

The UN?s top peacekeeper, Jean-Marie Guehenno, told Reuters in an interview last week that he was very worried about the deteriorating political situation and warned that the United Nations might sanction those standing in the way of peace.

When fully deployed the UN force will number 6,240 troops, with 2,737 coming from Bangladesh and 700 from Morocco. They will work with some 4,000 French troops already on the ground in the West African country.