27 OUT 98 - 14:22

Guinea-Bissau: Top Talks Unlikely Today, But Possible Wednesday, Says Lisbon's Ambassador

Bissau, Oct. 27 (Lusa) - Portugal's ambassador to Guinea-Bissau said planned talks between President Nino Vieira and rebel chief Brig. Ansumane Mane were unlikely to take place Tuesday in Bissau as planned due to disagreements on a venue.

In comments after a meeting with Vieira, Ambassador Francisco Henriques da Silva said there were "obstacles (raised) on both sides" as to a meeting place in the capital.

He added, however, that he was hopeful the pivotal encounter could take place Wednesday.

The impasse "can not drag on much longer," da Silva said, after his talks with Vieira, in which he was accompanied by counterparts from the French and Swedish embassies.

Two sets of meetings had been expected Tuesday, with military chiefs from the warring sides expected to meet during the afternoon following the planned face-to-face encounter of their leaders. - Lusa

27 OUT 98 - 13:28

Geneva, Oct. 27 (Lusa) - The World Food Program announced Monday it would be distributing about 300 tons of rice to an estimated 70,000 to 80,000 refugees from the capital of Guinea-Bissau. WFP spokeswoman Christiane Berthiaume said the refugees from the latest fighting in Bissau were concentrated in the localities of Prabis and Cumura, some 20 kms from the city. She said the distribution would be carried out with the logistical support of the Swedish embassy, which oversees extensive cooperation programs in the West African country. - Lusa

27 OUT 98 - 13:28

Dakar, Oct. 27 (Lusa) - Civilian patients in the Senegalese capital's main hospital are being released early to free beds for soldiers wounded in fighting in neighboring Guinea-Bissau, the daily "Wal Fadjri" reported Tuesday.

Without giving numbers or other details, the newspaper said the arrivals of wounded Senegalese troops was generating "great emotion" among relatives, turning the hospital into "a Wailing Wall," a reference to the ruins of the Hebrew temple in Jerusalem. Practically no casualty figures have been available from any of the sides in the Guinea-Bissau fighting, since the conflict erupted with an armed forces rebellion on June 7.

Contingents from Senegal and Guinea-Conakry are backing President Nino Vieira, who remains largely besieged in the capital, Bissau. - Lusa

27 OUT 98 - 09:18

Guinea-Bissau: No agreement yet on meeting between President and rebel leader

Bissau, Oct. 27 (Lusa) - Guinea-Bissau President João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira and rebel leader Brig. Ansumane Mane have failed to reach an agreement on the venue for a face-to-face meeting.

The meeting was orginally scheduled to take place on Tuesday. The embassies of Portugal, France and Sweden on Tuesday continued with their joint efforts to find a mutually acceptable venue for the meeting.

Meanwhile, according to the official Senegalese newspaper "Le Soleil" on Monday, Senegal continue sending troops and equipment to its units in Guinea-Bissau backing up President Vieira.

According to other Senegalese newspaper reports on Monday, several thousand Guinea-Bissauan refugees have entered the Republic Guinea (Conakry). Lusa/Fim

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