Abidjan , Ivory Coast ( CNN ) -- At least five people were killed Tuesday in clashes between police and supporters of Ivory Coast 's president-elect as a tense political standoff continued Tuesday in the West African nation . The governor of Abidjan said three police officers and two demonstrators were killed . The violence comes a day after the U.N. Security Council deplored the violence in the country since the November 28 election and `` urged all parties to exercise restraint . '' The cocoa-producing West African nation was plunged into crisis when Alassane Ouattara was declared the winner of the presidential runoff election , but incumbent Laurent Gbagbo refused to leave office . The Security Council expressed its backing for the efforts by the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States in pursuing a peaceful resolution of the crisis . At the same time , the council repeated its readiness `` to impose measures , including targeted sanctions against people `` who threaten the peace process , '' block the work of the U.N. mission and other international people there or `` commit serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law . '' Meanwhile , Ouattara is willing to add supporters of self-proclaimed president Gbagbo to his Cabinet , provided the defiant incumbent steps down , the West African nation 's ambassador to the United Nations said Monday . Ambassador Youssoufou Bamba said Ouattara would not enter a power-sharing government similar to that in Zimbabwe but that he would be open to a unity cabinet . U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq could not confirm any such offer from the Ouattara government and said that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon still called for Gbagbo to step down in favor of an orderly transition . Ouattara told CNN last week that he welcomes a proposal for direct negotiations with Gbagbo -- on the condition that Gbagbo recognize Ouattara as president . But in a telephone interview on Tuesday , Gbagbo 's government spokesman , Ahoua Don Melo , rejected the proposal , saying Ouattara `` should first go to the Constitutional Council to get recognized as the president before making any proposal . '' An independent election commission declared Ouattara the winner of the runoff election in November , but the country 's Constitutional Council then declared Gbagbo the winner . The U.S. Treasury froze Gbagbo 's assets in the United States last week and barred Americans from doing business with him . His wife and three top aides also were sanctioned . Ouattara remains holed up in the Golf Hotel under the protection of U.N. peacekeepers . The United Nations and an ever-increasing number of other nations have recognized Ouattara , a former prime minister , as the rightful winner . The United States and other countries have offered Gbagbo what they call a `` dignified exit , '' which could mean living and working in other countries , including the United States . Gbagbo , however , has ignored those offers and has refused to accept telephone calls from U.S. officials . Ouattara has said he will ensure protection for Gbagbo if he concedes , said Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga , the African Union envoy for a multinational mediation effort . The U.N. Security Council welcomed AU and ECOWAS ' intention to send `` another joint high-level mission as soon as possible to continue discussions with the two parties . '' It expressed deep concern over continued violence and human rights violations , including against U.N. peacekeepers , and `` condemned deliberate attempts to impede the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire from fulfilling its mandate , '' referring to the country by its French name . Security Council members also `` strongly condemned and demanded an immediate halt '' to media efforts to `` propagate false information to incite hatred and violence . '' Council members also condemned the ongoing blockade around the Golf Hotel . Meanwhile , the U.N. refugee agency is building a refugee camp for Ivorians fleeing to neighboring Liberia . The camp will initially be capable of housing some 18,000 refugees . At present , there are about 25,000 Ivorian refugees in Liberia , with about 600 people arriving daily . `` Refugees continue to tell us that in most cases they are fleeing fear of violence rather than actual violence against them , '' said the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees . The UNHCR has sufficient relief supplies for about 30,000 people in Liberia and said it `` is ready to mobilize stocks from Ghana for an additional 30,000 people if the need arises . '' CNN 's Whitney Hurst contributed to this report .
At least 20 people have died in new clashes . The U.N. Security Council approved peaceful resolution . 25,000 Ivorian refugees are now in Liberia .