26 OUT 98 - 13:26

Bissau, Oct. 26 (Lusa) - The ambassadors of Portugal, France and Sweden were serving Monday as go-betweens in preparing the scheduled face-to-face meeting between Guinea-Bissau President Nino Vieira and rebel leader Brig. Ansumane Mane.

Diplomatic sources said details of the pivotal encounter, arranged at the weekend by Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama, were still being worked out, but that two sets of meetings should take place Tuesday.

While the hour, venue and agenda were still being ironed out, they said, the Vieira-Mane talks were expected to take place during the morning, followed in the afternoon by negotiations between government and rebel military chiefs.

Separately, the political bureau of the ruling PAIGC party met Sunday and called last week's cease-fire breakdown "extremely grave."

In a communique the party leadership thanked both the Portuguese and Senegalese governments for their efforts to bring peace. - Lusa

26 OUT 98 - 12:37

Poertschach, Austria, Oct. 26 (Lusa) - Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres has praised Foreign Minister Jaime Gama's weekend trip to Guinea-Bissau as a courageous act and said Lisbon's prime concern was for peace and democracy in its former territory. Calling the foreign minister's initiative an "act of extreme courage," given the fighting in Bissau, Guterres said Gama rendered "a great service" to the international community and Portugal in setting up talks between the leaders of the warring sides.

In Austria for an informal European Union summit at the weekend, Guterres underlined that Lisbon's "principle concern" was "to guarantee peace...and a democratic future" for the West African country. - Lusa

26 OUT 98 - 10:22

Bissau, Oct. 26 (Lusa) - Guinea-Bissauan President "Nino" Vieira and rebel leader Brig. Ansumane Mane will meet in Bissau on Tuesday, a spokesman for the rebellious Military Junta has announced.

The meeting has been brokered by Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama, who left Bissau on Sunday.

Gama had been in Guinea-Bissau for about 24 hours. The foreign minister said upon departure that both sides in the conflict had given him their "solemn" committment to cease all hostilities until the meeting.

Gama urged two warring sides to respect the current ceasefire, adding the Senegalese government had been informed in his peace efforts in Guinea-Bissau.

Senegalese Home Affairs Minister Lamine Cisse paid a visit to Guinea-Bissau during Gama's stay in Bissau.

Guinea-Bissau's rebel movement headed by Brig. Mane announced a ceasefire last week, demanding the withdrawal of foreign troops supporting President Vieira.

There are 3,000 heavily-armed troops from neighbouring Senegal and the Republic of Guinea (Conakry) in Guinea-Bissau. Lusa/Fim

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