Paris, April 13, SPA -- France plans to ask for additional foreign troops to be sent to Ivory Coast following an agreement bywarring factions there to end hostilities and startdisarming, the French defense minister said in an interviewpublished Wednesday. "When the return to barracks and disarmament begins, wewill once again be entering an extremely sensitive phase.We will again appeal for a strengthening of internationaltroops," Michele Alliot-Marie told Le Figaro. But she also acknowledged that previous appeals did notwork. France has 4,000 troops in the West African nation,which has been split between the rebel-held north andloyalist south since a failed coup attempt in 2002. "I sometimes have the impression that the internationalcommunity tells itself that the French, if they are there,are capable of coping with all situations. And sendingadditional reinforcements is expensive for the UnitedNations," she said. The agreement last week committed warring factions toimmediately disarm and dismantle militia fightersthroughout the country.--SPA1254 Local Time 0954 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/254348