02 NOV 98 - 13:27

Guinea-Bissau: Gama Welcomes Accord, Pledges Lisbon's Aid

Lisbon, Nov. 2 (Lusa) - Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama welcomed Guinea-Bissau's peace accord Monday as a "decisive step in the right direction."

In comments to Lusa, Gama said Portugal planned "to continue contributing to the economic and social progresss" of its former African territory.

A major actor in first getting the warring sides to negotiate, Gama set aside speculation that Lisbon or the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP) were miffed at seeing the peace accord concluded in Nigeria under the auspices of ECOWAS, co-mediators with the CPLP.

Portugal and the CPLP "always battled for the substance of peace rathern than the formalism of visibility," Gama said. - Lusa

02 NOV 98 - 12:26

Guinea-Bissau: Portugal Applauds Peace Accord

Lisbon, Nov. 2 (Lusa) - The Portuguese government applauded the peace accord Monday between Guinea-Bissau's battling sides, saying it "rejoiced" with the end of the five-month conflict it helped mediate.

"We rejoice with the agreement reached today" in Nigeria, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Luis Amado said. "Everything which can be done to pacify Guinea-Bissau is praise worthy."

Amado underlined the "very great effort" made by Portugal and the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP) to find a peaceful solution to the Wesst African country's conflict. - Lusa

02 NOV 98 - 11:39

Guinea-Bissau: Vieira, Mane Reach Accord to End Conflict

Abuja, Nov. 2 (Lusa) - Besieged President Nino Vieira and rebel leader Brig. Ansumane Mane signed an accord early Monday ending the five-month conflict in Guinea-Bissau, the country's acting foreign minister, Joao Cardoso, announced.

News agency reports from the Nigerian capital quoted Cardoso as saying the agreement centered on a return to the cease-fire reached Aug. 26, the withdrawal of foreign troops in tandem with the deployment of an international "interposition" force along the border with Senegal, and the formation of a "national unity" government to prepare general elections by year's end.

The accord was reached under the auspices of Nigeria's military ruler, Gen. Abdusalam Abubakar, and witnessed by representatives of the United Nations and of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the reports said.

ECOWAS and the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) had been brokerng a solution to the conflict that erupted June 7 between Vieira and most of his armed forces under the leadership of Brig. Mane, Guinea-Bissau's just-ousted chief of staff.

The rebel Military Junta's advance after the recent breakdown in the cease-fire had left Vieira, backed by military contigents from neighboring Senegal and Guinea-Conakry, only in control of parts of the capital city.

The warring leaders flew together Friday to the ECOWAS summit meeting in Abuja, after inconclusive face-to-face talks in Gambia. - Lusa

02 NOV 98 - 08:01

Guinea-Bissau: No deadline for peace talks

Abuja, 02 Nov (Lusa) - Peace talks between Guinea-Bissau's two warring sides will continue 'sine die', a Nigerian official said in Abuja on Sunday.

However, diplomatic sources have admitted the possibility of a military solution to the conflict.

Guinea-Bissau's beleaguered president, João Bernardo 'Nino'Vieira, and rebel leader Brig. Ansumane Mane began face-to-face peace talks on Friday, under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

A spokesman for the Nigerian presidential office said on Sunday there existed no deadline for the peace talks.

Diplomatic sources monitoring the talks have said they do not exclude the possibility of a military solution to the conflict, namely because the insurgent 'military junta' headed by Mane controls most of Guinea-Bissau. Lusa/Fim

Contactos E-mail:
Geocities:  bissau@oocities.com

Outros endereços desta Página:

Guiné-Bissau, o Conflito no «site» FortuneCity

Guiné-Bissau, o Conflito no «site» Terràvista

---