Support for Sao Tome leader

2003-07-18 19:33

Abuja - The deposed president of Sao Tome, Fradique de Menezes, was assured of support from two of Africa's most influential leaders on Friday as he battled to overcome a military coup.

Menezes met with Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo, leader of west Africa's economic and military powerhouse, and President Joachim Chissano of Mozambique, the chairperson of the 53-nation African Union (AU).

"They agreed to work together to ensure a quick resolution of the peace process so that Menezes can go back to his country as president," Obasanjo's spokesperson Remi Oyo told AFP.

Both the Nigerian and Sao Tome delegations at the Abuja talks firmly denied reports that a Nigerian or AU-mandated force might use military force to restore Menezes' rule over his tiny west African island nation.

Instead, the two leaders threw their weight behind growing pressure from African and international leaders on the military putschists to abandon their power grab.

"We believe that because of the all round condemnation of the coup by African leaders the rebels will rescind their outlawed behaviour and allow the elected president to return to his seat," Oyo said.

De Menezes became stranded in Abuja on Wednesday when troops took advantage of his absence to seize power in Sao Tome and Principe, a small archipelago lying in the Gulf of Guinea that is home to 140 000 people.

Oyo said Menezes would continue to have an "open line" to Obasanjo until the crisis was resolved.

De Menezes' media adviser, Guillaume Neto, told AFP that Friday's talks had not dealt with possible military action "at all" and that the focus of efforts would continue to be diplomatic.

Chissano's spokesperson Antonio Montonse had said Thursday: "It's probable that the question of military intervention will come up in Abuja."

Nigeria has close economic ties with Sao Tome, with which it is developing a joint oil exploration block in the Gulf of Guinea in waters between the two neighbours.

On Thursday the eight countries of Community of Portuguese Language Nations (CPLP) decided to send a diplomatic mission to Sao Tome and Principe to try to mediate a solution to the crisis.

A previous coup in Sao Tome in 1995 came to an end when CPLP member Angola persuaded the putschists to return to their barracks.

Officials in Luanda said on Friday that Angolan General Helder Vieira Dias, a key aide to President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, would lead a team of mediators to try to repeat the success of the 1995 mission.

- SAPA