/ 19 February 1999

FRIGATE OFFERED FOR PEACE TALKS

BRITAIN, Norway, Mali and Togo have offered to host peace talks between rebels and the government in Sierra Leone where fighting this year has claimed up to 5000 lives. Widespread atrocities such as crude amputations and immolation have been attributed to the rebels.Britain, Sierra Leone’s former colonial power, has said the two sides could use its frigate moored off the capital, Freetown, for talks.