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Senegal leader backs Guinea coup Guinean junta warns mining sector
(1 day later)
Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade has urged the world community to recognise the military junta in Guinea which seized power earlier this week. The leader of Guinea's coup has said contracts for the country's vital mining industry will be reviewed and pledged to stamp out corruption.
He said the coup leaders had pledged to hold polls but this would take time. Without naming firms, Capt Moussa Dadis Camara told a public meeting in Conakry that any contracts found to be "defective" would be revised.
Mr Wade became the first head of state to publicly back the coup, which has been condemned internationally but supported by many Guineans. Capt Camara took power after the death of President Lansana Conte on Monday.
Former Guinean President Lansana Conte - whose death on Monday triggered the coup - was buried on Friday. A meeting between the junta and foreign envoys planned for Saturday has been postponed until next week.
Tens of thousands of Guineans and presidents from the neighbouring states of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast attended the funeral of the veteran strongman president in Guinea's capital, Conakry. The junta, which took over in a bloodless coup, has said it wishes to "reassure the international community" of its commitment to stamping out corruption and holding elections in 2010.
class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYWe need a change, change that will benefit all Guineans. We pray for a good leaderAmara, Nzerekore class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5853&edition=2&ttl=20081226112011">Send us your comments Its seizure of power was condemned internationally but Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade has urged the world community to recognise the new leadership.
But coup leader Capt Moussa Camara - a junior army officer, who had declared himself president and head of the junta's new National Council for Democracy and Development - was not present. 'No more looting'
Mr Conte, who died aged 74, was later buried in front of his mansion in the village of Lansanaya, some 120km (75 miles) north-west of Conakry. Capt Camara addressed hundreds of public representatives, including trade unionists, politicians and clergy, at a meeting in his barracks, Camp Alpha Yaya Diallo, in what correspondents say was a charm offensive.
In a separate development, Capt Camara invited representatives from the UN, G8, European Union and African Union to a meeting on Saturday in Conakry to "reassure the international community". This group of military men deserves support - we should not throw stones at them Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7800559.stm">In pictures: Guinea buries ex-leader class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7798079.stm">'End of misrule' class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7797629.stm">Guinea army statement in full
The rebels also said they would hold separate talks on Saturday with leaders of Guinea's political parties and civil society groups. He outlined his view of the mining sector, which has attracted billions of dollars in investment from international firms.
'Sick and tired' "We have blocked the mining sector," he said. "There will be a renegotiation of contracts."
"My feeling is that this group of military men deserves support. We should not throw stones at them," President Wade told France's Radio France Internationale in Paris. According to AFP news agency, he also suspended all gold extraction until further notice.
The council has no ambitions to hold on to power Capt CamaraGuinea's coup leader class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7799474.stm">In pictures: Guinea buries ex-leader class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7800559.stm">Fear in Guinea at army takeover class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7798079.stm">'End of misrule' class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7797629.stm">Guinea army statement in full More than a third of the world's bauxite reserves are located in Guinea which also has large reserves of gold, diamonds, iron and nickel, and some uranium deposits.
He said he had had a telephone conversation with Capt Camara, describing him as a "perfectly honest" man. Without naming names, Capt Camara vowed to eradicate corruption, saying: "It was the government officials who surrounded the [late] head of state who looted the country."
And despite the junta's earlier statements that new elections in Guinea would be held in December 2010, Mr Wade said Capt Camara "spoke of eight months". "Anyone found guilty of corruption will be punished," he added. "Anyone who has misappropriated state assets for his benefit, if caught, will be judged and punished before the people."
Capt Camara earlier said he had no intention of standing in the elections and that he wanted to restore order to the country and rid it of corruption. He also told those present that he was open to their "best ideas", including the choice of a new prime minister.
Meeting postponed
The coup leaders had been due to meet representatives from the UN, G8, European Union and African Union at 1200 GMT on Saturday but they postponed the meeting until Tuesday without explanation.
HAVE YOUR SAYThe international powers should keep talking to the military to restore Guinea to civilian rule. Abraham Walker, New Jersey, USA Send us your comments
The US embassy in Conakry has called for an immediate return to civilian rule in Guinea, while France, which currently holds the EU presidency, also said a vote should be held soon.The US embassy in Conakry has called for an immediate return to civilian rule in Guinea, while France, which currently holds the EU presidency, also said a vote should be held soon.
South Africa's President Kgalema Motlanthe has said the junta must step down and hold elections immediately.South Africa's President Kgalema Motlanthe has said the junta must step down and hold elections immediately.
Guinea's two main opposition groups have also urged the coup leaders to stage polls in a year's time. President Wade, however, publicly backed the coup, telling French radio: "My feeling is that this group of military men deserves support. We should not throw stones at them."
Despite condemnation from the international community, the coup appears to have been welcomed by many within the country. The coup appears to have been welcomed by many within the country, the BBC's West Africa correspondent Will Ross says.
Sick and tired of despotic rule under the former president and his hugely corrupt government, Guineans are pinning their hopes on the military, the BBC's West Africa correspondent Will Ross says. Sick and tired of despotic rule under the former president and his hugely corrupt government, Guineans are pinning their hopes on the military, our correspondent says.
The deposed Prime Minister, Ahmed Tidiane Souare, and many within his cabinet have also endorsed Capt Camara's move, as well as older sections of the military. On Friday, tens of thousands of Guineans and presidents from the neighbouring states of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast attended the funeral of President Conte in Conakry.
Conte, who died aged 74, was later buried in front of his mansion in the village of Lansanaya, some 120km (75 miles) north-west of the capital.