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Guinea-Bissau: Vieira Says 'Peace to Stay' After Meeting Rebel Chief
Bissau, Feb. 15 (Lusa) - President Nino Vieira and rebel leader Brig. Ansumane Mane sealed an agreement for full implementation of Guinea-Bissau's peace accord Sunday with an embrace after a one-our meeting.
"Peace has come to stay," Vieira said at the close of the meeting, which was arranged and attended by European Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs Emma Bonino.
Before calling Mane "brother" and embracing him, Vieira said they had reached agreement "on all aspects, not only in relation to preserving peace but also the problems of disarming and assembling troops."
The embattled president, who was challenged by a military mutiny after sacking Mane as head of the country's armed forces, said people could now travel throughout the country "without any restrictions."
Mane did not speak to journalists at the end of his first meeting with Vieira on Guinea-Bissau soil since the beginning of the conflict last June.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister-designate Francisco Fadul announced Saturday that his "national unity" government would finally take office on either Feb. 20 or 21.
He said the preferred date of Feb. 18 had been set aside because Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama, who played a key early role in negotiating an end to the conflict, could not be present for the cabinet's installation on that day.
Fadul's made the announcement after meeting with Vieira.