UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote Wednesday for an amended French-drafted resolution setting a Dec. 1 deadline for the government of Cote d'Ivoire and its rebels to implement a peace agreement or face a series of sanctions.

    Speaking to reporters after a lengthy closed council meeting, French Ambassador Jean-Marie de la Sabliere said France has agreedto amend the draft it presented on Sunday calling for immediate sanctions on the West African nation.

    He said that China, Algeria and some other council members proposed giving the Ivorian parties a grace period. "My objective is to have this wrapped up tomorrow," he added.

    Under the draft, if the Ivorian parties fail to resume by Dec. 1 the implementation of the January 2003 peace deal brokered by France, the council would impose an arms embargo on the country which was plunged into a civil war in September 2002 after a failed coup.

    It would also impose a travel ban on individuals who pose a threat to peace and the reconciliation process, violate human rights or prevent the disarmament of rebels. These targeted people's assets would be freezed.

    A council committee would be established to adopt a list of people who would be subject to sanctions. UN member states would report to the committee on their compliance with the resolution.

    La Sabliere said that as suggested by Brazil, the finalized draft would include a new provision condemning a reported campaignby Ivorian media to instigate hatred against foreign nationals in Cote d'Ivoire.

    France introduced the measure after the Ivorian warplanes bombed Saturday a French barrack in Bouake, a main city in the rebel-held north, killing nine French peacekeepers and an American.France fought back and destroyed the country's small air force.

    Last Thursday, the Ivorian air force bombed rebel positions in the northern part of the country in a serious violation of the one-year-old ceasefire agreement.

    The French reprisal triggered violent demonstrations against French and other foreign nationals in Abidjan, the main commercialcity of Cote d'Ivoire. The UN peacekeeping mission in the country reported Tuesday that some 1,800 people, mostly foreign citizens, were now seeking refugee in UN-protected sites in the city.

    As the Security Council is poised to adopt the revised draft unanimously, Cote d'Ivoire's Ambassador to the UN Hpilippe Djangone-Bi denounced the plan, saying it was "unacceptable."

    "We believe that there is too much hurry to act on this resolution because now we have stopped fighting," he said, adding that sanctions would compromise the African Union's efforts to seek a solution to the current crisis in his country.

    Djangone-Bi also accused France of violating Cote d'Ivoire's sovereignty by wiping out its tiny air force, and of excessive useof force against protesters in Abidjan.

    The Ivorian government and the rebel New Forces signed a peace agreement in France in January 2003. But the peace process has been staggering and the country remains divided, with the rebels holding the north.

    France has some 4,000 peacekeepers in Cote d'Ivoire, its formercolony, to monitor the truce line along with 6,000 UN peacekeepingtroops. Enditem