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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.
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