14 DEZ 98 - 13:06

Guinea-Bissau: Summit Peace Talks Readied in Lome

Lome, Dec. 14 (Lusa) - President Nino Vieira of Guinea-Bissau was expected to arrive in the Togolese capital Monday for talks with rebel military leader Brig. Ansumane Mane on implementing their country's stymied peace accord.

Brig. Mane's delegation arrived in Lome from Guinea-Bissau Sunday, accompanied by Prime Minister-designate Francisco Fadul, who will also to take part in the discussions aimed to break the impasse in the formation of a "national unity" government.

The talks will be hosted by Togolese President Gnassingbe Eyadema in his capacity as head of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the organization which oversaw the signing of the peace accord.

Nigerian leader Gen. Abdul Abubakar, who presided at the peace signing ceremony in Abuja Nov. 2, was also expected to attend the talks.

While the agreed cease-fire has largely held, full implementation of the accord has been hobbled by disagreement over who should fill key posts in the transitional unity cabinet.

Another pivotal issue revolves around the withdrawal of Senegalese and Guinea-Conakry troops backing Vieira and the deployment of a peacekeeping force to be provided by four ECOWAS countries.

Mane was also accompanied on his flight to Lome by two European diplomats who have served as facilitators in ending the five-month conflict which erupted in June, Portuguese Ambassador Francisco Henriques da Silva and Swedish chargé d'affaires Ulla Andren.

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

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