Sao Tome Coup Leaders Agree in Principle to Return of President

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, July 22, 2003

Sao Tome Coup Leaders Agree in Principle to Return of President

The military junta that seized power last week while the president was abroad has accepted the idea of his return, an African envoy said Monday after holdings talks with the junta leaders.

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The military junta that seized power last week while the president was abroad has accepted the idea of his return, an African envoy said Monday after holdings talks with the junta leaders.

"Since the first hour of the talks, the junta has agreed with the return of the president," Angolan Interior Minister Oswaldo van Dunen told reporters. "One of the issues that we have to discuss are the conditions for his return."

Sao Tome and Principe's President Fradique de Menezes was visiting Nigeria when the coup took place Wednesday in this oil-rich but otherwise poor twin-island country off West Africa. He hasn't been allowed to return.

Van Dunen didn't provide details on the conditions of the president's return.

Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano said Menezes could be home within a day.

"We have strong indications that the constitutional order will be restored and this will be a successful effort in combination with various partners," said Chissano, who heads of the 53-nation African Union and was speaking in Mozambique.

Envoys started talks Sunday with the military junta, headed by artillery Maj. Fernando Pereira, with the goal of negotiating a return to civilian rule.

Participating in the talks were the renegade troops and delegations from regional power Nigeria, the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, the Economic Community of Central African States.

Source: Agencies

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