28 JAN 99 - 14:38
Guinea-Bissau: Hostile Factions Resume Talks on Peace Implementation
Bissau, Jan. 28 (Lusa) - Delegations from Guinea-Bissau's two hostile factions were resuming talks Thursday on implementing their stymied peace accord, after a 24-hour suspension to mourn the death of Bissau's Catholic bishop.
Two negotiating sessions were scheduled between representatives of President Nino Vieira and the rebel Military Junta, with military teams to meet during the morning, followed by political discussions in the afternoon.
Three main calendar issues remain to be settled: dates for the withdrawal of Vieira's allied foreign troops, for the deployment of a West African peace-keeping force and for the installation of Prime Minister-designate Francisco Fadul's "national unity" government.
The talks were suspended Wednesday to mark the death, earlier in the day, of Bishop Settimio Ferrazzetta, an Italian who had played an important role in bringing the warring sides to the negotiating table.