Guinea crisis may be resolved

2009-11-17 12:07

Abuja - The west African regional grouping Ecowas on Monday expressed confidence in Burkina Faso's mediation of the crisis in Guinea triggered by a massacre at an opposition rally there in September.

Nigeria's President Umaru Yar'Adua, who holds the rotating chairmanship of the Economic Community of West African States spoke to journalists after talks with Burkina Faso leader Blaise Compaore in the administrative capital Abuja.

"He (Compaore) outlined his plans and I am confident that what he is doing will achieve our desired objective," he said.

Ecowas appointed Compaore mediator after government soldiers went on a rampage at a Conakry football stadium slaying more than 150 opposition activists in September.

Compaore said he came to Nigeria to brief the Ecowas chairman on progress made so far in resolving the crisis.

"I have come to intimate the Ecowas chairman about how far we have gone... on how we intend to proceed in order to achieve our objective and I am happy to say that I have gotten his own view thereon," Compaore said through an interpreter.

Transitional government

Guinea troops on September 28 opened fire at opposition protestors gathered in a stadium urging junta leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara not to stand in presidential elections planned for January.

At least 150 people died, the United Nations says, and more than 1 200 were injured, including women who were publicly raped.

The military regime has said that 56 people died and 934 were wounded.

Guinea's opposition wants Camara to step down and a transitional administration put in place. The junta has said it is open to a consensus appointment of a prime minister who would remain under Camara's authority.

Compaore is due to meet the two feuding sides on Wednesday in Ouagadougou.

Guinea is member of the 15-nation Ecowas.

- SAPA