Ivory Coast chief on state visit to France PARIS, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara arrived in France Wednesday for a three-day state visit that is to include the signing of a new military agreement. The trip is Ouattara's first to France since he became president in April 2011. Ouattara's predecessor, Laurent Gbagbo, disputed the outcome of the 2010 election, and the resulting civil war ended when French special forces captured Gbagbo. Ouattara was accompanied by French Interior Minister Claude Gueant as he traveled into Paris from the airport, Radio France Internationale reported. Ouattara was to meet Thursday with President Nicolas Sarkozy to sign the new accord. It will cut the number of French military personnel in the country to 300 with a training mission.