Sao Tome's deposed president welcomed the release of seven ministers from his government in the wake of last week's coup but still insisted that the troops who ousted him return to barracks, his spokesperson said yesterday.

Guillaume Neto, media adiviser to Sao Tome and Prinicipe's ousted leader Fradique de Menezes, said that the release of the government figures by the coup leaders had been one of the preconditions of his return.

The president of the tiny west African island nation has been stranded in the Nigerian capital Abuja since last Wednesday, when military officers took control of his impoverished country of 140 000 people.

"The conditions for his return are that the prisoners are liberated, the military return to their barracks and that constitutional order be restored," Neto said by telephone from De Menezes' Abuja hotel.

"Once those conditions are met the president can return home and discuss the military's concerns," he said.

International mediators were meeting with coup leaders yesterday after securing the overnight release of seven ministers and a legal adviser who had been held since last week's power grab.

Neto said that "of course" De Menezes was happy at the release, and that he still hoped to be able to resume his duties soon.

Coup leader Major Fernando Pereira has accused the former civilian administration of incompetence and corruption, and has thus far refused to entertain the idea of De Menezes returning to power.

But Pereira, under strong pressure from African nations, the US and the Portuguese-speaking world to allow a return to elected government, agreed to the talks under way in Sao Tome with international envoys. - Sapa-AFP.