Detained Officials in Sao Tome Coup Released

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, July 21, 2003

Detained Officials in Sao Tome Coup Released

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A total of seven ministers and a legal adviser detained in a coup in Sao Tome and Principe were freed on Sunday under an agreement between international mediators and the military junta, reports from Sao Tome said.

As an earlier memorandum on the liberation of political figuressaid, they "will not be automatically returned to power before theend of the negotiations and the signing of a final agreement" and would be under military surveillance at their homes.

A group of Sao Tome soldiers staged the coup on Wednesday and detained the country's prime minister and some cabinet ministers. The country's president, Fradique de Menezes, was then on an official visit to Nigeria.

The rebellious soldiers dissolved all state organizations and announced the establishment of a "military salvation" government.

The international mediation mission, including a delegation of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Nations (CPLP) and five Nigerians, arrived in Sao Tome late Saturday after coup leader Major Fernando Pereira Cobo promised to hold talks with international mediators on the crisis in the island nation.

The mediation mission of the CPLP and the Economic Community ofCentral African States, led by Angolan Home Minister Osvaldo Serravan Dunem, held a three-hour meeting with 10 military coup leaderson Sunday morning, but no details were released.

The coup leaders said they want to form a transitional government to combat poverty in the country.

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