/ 4 January 2000

OAU HOLDS ‘POSITIVE’ TALKS AFTER COUP

AN envoy for the president of the Organisation of African Unity on Tuesday held what he called ”extremely positive” talks with Cte d’Ivoire junta chief General Robert Guei, who took power last month. The OAU has condemned the coup that brought the former chief of general staff to power on December 24, when mutinous troops ousted Cte d’Ivoire’s elected but widely unpopular president Henri Konan Bedie. Guei has vowed to hold fully democratic elections and called on Cte d’Ivoire’s political parties to name by Monday 11 people to join an interim government which will also include 10 cabinet members from or appointed by the junta.