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Dakar, Oct. 15 (Lusa) - Guinea-Bissau's minister in charge of the country's anti-colonial war veterans, Arafan ''Ndajamba'' Mane, has been hospitalised in Dakar, capital of Senegal, since last week. An informed source told LUSA on Wednesday the reason for the minister's hospitalisation was not known.

Some Guinea-Bissauan exiles in Senegal have claimed Mane's health problems are due to alleged beating by Gunirnea-Bissauan President ''Nino'' Vieira in July. However, Mane has denied the claims. Mane has encourged the two sides in Guinea-Bissau's current conflict to hold peace talks.-Lusa

Bissau, Oct. 14 (Lusa) - The rebel Military Junta announced Tuesday it had released 25 prisoners of war, including two officers from neighboring Guinea-Conakry.

The announcement was made by the rebel leader, Brig. Ansumane Mane, over the insurgents' radio.

Mane said the prisoners had never been treated as "enemies." Guinea-Bissau President Nino Vieira has counted on troops from Senegal and Guinea-Conakry for aid in his fight against the mutinous Military Junta, which revolted in June. - Lusa

Dakar, Oct. 14 (Lusa) - The next round of peace talks about Guinea-Bissau are not expected to take place before the end of October, a Cape Verdean diplomatic source said in Dakar on Tuesday.

Mario Gomes Fernades, Cape Verdean ambassador to Senegal, told LUSA that the Contact Group of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countires had still not received any reply by the Nigerian authorities to its proposed mediation efforts.

The community had originally proposed that a new round of peace talks be held in Cape Verde this week.

The diplomatic said he expected the new round of Guinea-Bissau peace talks to be held only after a summit of the Economic Community of West African States in Abuja, capital of Nigeria on 26 October.-Lusa

Lisbon, Oct. 13 (Lusa) - Representatives of six Guinea-Bissau opposition parties scheduled a news conference here Tuesday to demand the withdrawal of foreign troops from their country and call for the formation of a "transitional government" to prepare elections.

Iancuba Indjai of the Union for Change (UM) party said the opposition forces, most with parliamentary representation in Bissau, considered President Nino Vieira a "traitor," who had "sold the country" to neighboring Senegal.

At the news conference, Indjai added, the parties would call for the exit of Senegalese and Guinea-Conakry troops backing the government in the civil war.

The formation of a "transitional government" to prepare general elections within six months would also be demanded, he said. In power since leading a coup in 1980, Vieira won the country's first multi-party elections in 1994.

Under the constitution new polling should take place this year, but, even before the conflict erupted in June, there were few signs an election would be held on schedule. - Lusa

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