ECOWAS Emergency Meeting On Togo Underway

..Togo ruler offers amnesty, talks
The ECOWAS meeting in the Nigerene capital Niamey gets underway shortly to determine the sub-region?s position on developments in Togo.

Following the replacement of deceased president Eyadema with his son Faure this week, there?s been widespread condemnation of what international figures including AU chairman President Obasanjo and ECOWAS chairman Mamadu Tanja called a coup d?etat.

President Kufuor left Accra this morning for the emergency meeting of ECOWAS heads of states.

The meeting called by the ECOWAS Chairman and Nigeriene president will discuss the developments in Togo where the constitution has been amended to make deceased President Eyadema?s son president.

The sub-regional grouping will also determine whether to impose sanctions or initiate discussions with the Togolese authorities.

It is not clear which position Ghana will be adopting at today?s meeting, as President Kufuor?s government is yet to take a definite stance on the unfolding events in Togo.

In an interview with the BBC ahead of the meeting the Executive Secretary of ECOWAS, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas failed to answer a pointed question about the status of the leadership in Togo deferring till after the meeting.

It cannot be confirmed whether Nigerian leader and AU chairman Olusegun Obasanjo will attend the meeting. Joy News has learnt that the Nigerian defence minister joined president Kufuor in Accra en-route to Niger giving a possible indication that president Obasanjo may not attend.

Togo ruler offers amnesty, talks

LOME, Togo (AP) -- In his first address to the nation, Togo's army-installed, parliament-endorsed new president offered amnesty and talks with the West African nation's exiled opposition, and promised legislative elections as soon as possible.

Faure Gnassingbe's speech on state TV and radio Wednesday came as a partial strike against his days-old rule entered a second day in the capital, and as West African leaders prepared to hold an emergency summit Wednesday in Niger to discuss the country's fate.

The 53-nation African Union has threatened to slap sanctions on Togo after the army declared Gnassingbe president Saturday hours after the death of his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, Africa's longest reigning ruler.

"We have ordered the release of all common law prisoners and granted amnesty to all political exiled leaders to enable them to join the effort of national reconstruction if they so wish," Gnassingbe said in a 10-minute address.

A Togolese opposition leader who lives in Paris, Gilchrist Olympio, is among the most vocal critics of Togo's new government. Olympio's father, Sylvanus Olympio, was the country's first post-independence president, serving for three years before being killed in a 1963 coup that Eyadema helped orchestrate.

In his speech, Gnassingbe also said, "We have asked the head of government to pursue, in spite of all the difficulties we are going through, the implementation of the pledge and commitment given to the European Union for democratic reform to be pursued ... in order to hold legislative elections as early as possible."

He set no date for the ballot, and made no mention of holding new presidential elections.

The opposition, complaining about the lack of democracy, boycotted the last legislative elections, in 2002, as well as the previous vote, in 1999. Presidential votes in 1993, 1999 and 2003 were all marred by fraud and violence -- and won by Eyadema.

U.S. criticism

The European Union severed aid to Eyadema's government in 1993 after allegations that security forces had fired upon democracy activists. The United States has pronounced Togo's transition to democracy "stalled."

The constitution had stipulated the parliament speaker should take over as president for 60 days until new presidential elections can be called.

After the army unilaterally declared Gnassingbe president Saturday, drawing international condemnation, the national assembly on Sunday approved Gnassingbe as speaker, then voted to change the constitution to allow him to fulfill his father's term, which expires in 2008.

The summit in Niger, held by the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, is expected to identify ways to "restore the constitutional order and organize elections in Togo," the 15-nation regional bloc said in a statement.

At least 10 heads of states, including Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mathieu Kerekou of Benin and Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso, were to attend the emergency meeting in Niamey, Niger, called by Niger's President Mamadou Tandja, current chairman of ECOWAS.

Gnassingbe, has also been invited to the summit, an ECOWAS chief said on condition of anonymity, but it was unclear if he would attend.

Hand-over denounced

Opposition leaders and the African Union likened the irregular move to a military coup. France and Britain also denounced the hand-over of power, urging Togo authorities to call quick and democratic presidential elections.

In his speech, Gnassingbe pledged his doors would "remain wide open to all the Togolese opposition leaders for consultation and the holding of dialogue in order to move Togo forward.

"We promise that we will uphold human rights and individual liberties and maintain relations with all international organizations, including ECOWAS and the European Union."

Opposition parties called on supporters to strike and stay home to protest for two days starting Tuesday, a day after Gnassingbe was officially sworn in as president. The strike call was only heeded in southern districts of the capital where opposition support is strong.

On Wednesday, shops, schools and markets remained closed and streets were deserted in south Lome. Government offices and banks remained open, however, and life was normal in the northern part of the capital.