11 FEV 99 - 20:09

Guinea-Bissau: Nino Vieira and Francisco Fadul Meet, Discuss Delayed Swearing-in of New Government

Bissau, Feb. 11 (Lusa) - Guinea-Bissau President Nino Vieira and Prime Minister-designate Francisco Fadul met Thursday to discuss the timetable for the country's "national unity" government to take office.

Fadul spokesman Cherno Balde said the prime minister-designate understood the reasons Vieira gave for the delayed swearing-in, which awaits the formal signing of an agreement on deployment of the West African "Ecomog" peacekeeping force and the withdrawal of Senegalese and Guinea-Conakry troops backing Vieira against the rebel Military Junta.

The accord is still in draft form. It was announced on Jan. 30, just hours before a renewed outbreak of fighting in the conflict that has torn Guinea-Bissau since last June. A truce in place since last week has been holding.

For his part, presidential spokesman Cipriano Cassama said the government may take office before the end of February, even before the full withdrawal of the foreign troops.

"We will prepare a proposal for the Military Junta supreme commander (Ansumane Mane) in the next few hourse", Cassama added.

11 FEV 99 - 12:59

Guinea-Bissau: Lisbon 'Displeased' with President Vieira Ending Military Cooperation Programs

Lisbon, Feb. 11 (Lusa) - The Portuguese government has reacted with displeasure to Guinea-Bissau President Nino Vieira's surprise decision to end military cooperation programs with Lisbon.

A foreign ministry spokesman told Lusa Wednesday that Lisbon had "communicated (its) displeasure" to Bissau, requesting the decision be "reconsidered."

Portuguese Defense Minister Jose Veiga Simao said Thursday he was confident the longstanding "technical-military cooperation programs" would be resumed "as soon as Guinea-Bissau regains peace." Guinea-Bissau's embattled president sent the Portuguese embassy in Bissau a notice Tuesday that he was putting an end to bilateral military cooperation.

Since the armed forces' mutiny against Vieira in June, Portugal's military presence in the country has been limited to one officer and two sergeants.

Over recent years, Portugal, through the military cooperation program, aided its former colony prepare armed forces' legislation, equip the military with telecommunications and provide professional training of various sorts.

A recent project, delayed by the conflict, was the planned stationing in Bissau of a Portuguese aircraft to patrol the country's maritime zone and to aid in search and rescue missions.

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