The 9th session of the International Contact Group on Guinea (ICG-G), held on Sunday in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), has recommended the completion of preparations in Guinea to allow the holding of legislative and presidential polls as soon as possible in 2010.
The mediators have also advocated for the implementation of “quick” steps to guarantee the full exercise of the activities of political parties and leaders, and respect the commitment that neither the president nor other CNDD members, nor the Prime Minister will be candidates for upcoming elections.
The Group decided to hold its next session in January 2010 at a date and venue to be determined in consultation between the co-chairmen.
The meeting was held ten days after the assassination attempt on junta leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara by his aide de camp Sidiki ’Toumba’ Diakite.
Captain Camara, who took power in December 2008 after the death of President Lansana Conté is currently hospitalized in Morocco.
He was replaced at the helm of the country by Defense Minister General Sékouba Konate, who has since toured the barracks of the capital to recall the troops to order in a bid to achieve peace in the country.
The African Union (AU) envoy Ibrahima Fall, who co-chaired the meeting of the Contact Group, stressed that the transition was “the imperative need to rapidly take Guinea out of its current situation following the 28 September and 3 December events.
The president of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mohamed Ibn Chambas, also called for the establishment of a short and peaceful transition to allow Guinea to move towards “transparent” elections.
The Guinean junta had announced on 8 December, through the Permanent Secretary of the ruling National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD) Colonel Moussa Keita, that it was suspending its participation in the talks in Ouagadougou, until Captain Camara recovers.
“The people of Guinea rely on these talks for their salvation, but the president’s health is more important than above all else,” he had said.
ECOWAS-appointed mediator to resolve the political crisis in Guinea, Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, host of Sunday’s talks, is trying to revive the dialogue between the opposition and the junta following the bloody repression that has officially killed 57 people, but killed over 150 people, according to the UN.
The Contact Group on Guinea is composed of the United Nations, African Union (AU), ECOWAS, the United States, the European Union (EU), the International Organization of la Francophonie (OIF), Great Britain and France.
Source African Press Agency
loading...
