Camara to stay in power
2009-11-23 09:04
Ouagadougou - Guinean junta leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara's candidacy in any fresh presidential elections is "not negotiable" in the current mediation talks, Communications Minister Idrissa Cherif said on Sunday.
"There are some issues which are not negotiable. One is the president's (Camara's) candidacy (in new elections)," Cherif said.
"We will also not discuss the break-up of the CNDD (the junta)," he added.
Cherif said, however, that the junta were willing to form a unity government with the opposition parties to choose a prime minister
Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, who is mediating in Guinea's crisis, on Saturday met with members of the junta and officials from Active Forces, an opposition, trade union and civil society umbrella group.
Transition period
On Friday, the group rejected Compaore's proposal that Camara should stay on as president during a 10-month transition period.
Under that same proposal, Camara and any other government members could stand in the presidential elections but only if they resign four months before the vote.
Further meetings are set to be held between the CNDD and Compaore on Tuesday.
Camara came to power in a bloodless coup on December 23 last year after the death of dictator Lansana Conte, who had led the country since 1984.
After an initial period of optimism, the mood turned sour in the mineral rich country.
Then government troops killed scores of opposition protesters in a Conakry stadium on September 28. The opposition had gathered to urge Camara not to run in a presidential election he has slated for January.
