<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/africa/4267395.stm>
The BBC Tuesday, 15 February, 2005, 13:18 GMT Talks in Togo as deadline expires West African diplomats have arrived in Togo for talks on the day their ultimatum to authorities there expires. The regional body Ecowas has threatened Togo with sanctions if it does not revert to its original constitution. It was changed last week after the death of President Gnassingbe Eyadema to allow his son to succeed him. African leaders have described the move as a coup and since the weekend four people have been killed in opposition protests in the capital, Lome. Apology demanded On Monday, the Togolese government said it would not take part in more talks with its neighbours on the issue. But Togolese Foreign Minister Kokou Tozoun has now said the government welcomes the delegation. Ecowas has also demanded an apology for what it says was Togo's undignified treatment of Nigeria after its officials were refused permission to land in Lome on Friday. Ecowas spokeswoman Adrienne Diop said West Africa's leaders expected a response to its demands by Tuesday "at the latest". According to the original constitution, parliamentary speaker Fambare Natchaba Ouattara was supposed to take over as caretaker leader following the death of Africa's longest-serving leader with elections to follow within two months. However, parliament was hastily called to replace Mr Ouattara with Faure Gnassingbe and the constitution changed to allow him to serve the rest of his father's term - until 2008. The new leader has promised "free and fair" elections soon but these are believed to be parliamentary. Radios closed On Monday, a protester was shot dead by soldiers during a general strike called by the opposition as a "day of reflection". Three people were killed in similar protests on Saturday, as protesters threw stones and the security forces used tear gas alongside live ammunition. Mr Faure praised the actions of the police on Saturday and condemned those who organised the march. The AU, however, condemned "the repression of the peaceful demonstration, which caused the loss of human lives". Rallies have been banned by the new government, and police have shut down four private radio stations and a TV channel. The BBC's Ebow Godwin in Lome, says the most prominent of the closed radio stations is Nana FM, which normally concentrates on women's issues but has recently broadened into political analysis. -- ----------------- R. A. Hettinga <mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Take a look at donorschoose.org, an excellent charitable web site for anyone who cares about public education! http://us.click.yahoo.com/_OLuKD/8WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
