Political leaders try to defuse political tension

President Kumba Yala and Prime Minister Alamara Nhasse met on Tuesday to try and ease political tension that has built up between them over the last two weeks, following the dismissal of several members of the government, according to news agency reports. The meeting was also attended by Guinea Bissau's military commanders, the Portuguese news agency, Lusa, reported on Wednesday. Another meeting was envisaged this week, before a planned trip to Portugal on Friday by armed forces chief of staff, Verissimo Seabra, it added. Several officials have recently been dismissed, including the former Minister of Fisheries and Sea, Artur Sanha, who is also Secretary-General of the ruling Party for Social Renovation (PRS), Lusa reported. On Saturday, President Yala dismissed Minister of Transport and Communications, Certorio Biote Pescas, prompting Nhasse to call for public calm. The United Nations Security Council in July urged Yala to bring stability to the West African country. The Council, reviewing a report by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, called on the president to encourage national reconciliation, good governance and the demobilisation, reintegration and reinsertion of former combatants. In June, Yala had proposed an amnesty for soldiers he said were involved in coup attempts against his government in December 2001 and May 2002, saying he was "motivated by a desire to calm souls". Guinea-Bissau has experienced war, political tension and internal crises in recent years. Tension between the military and Yala's government rose when former junta leader General Ansumane Mane tried, in November 2000, to revoke army nominations issued by the president. The "coup attempt", as the government described it, led to days of fighting between Mane's supporters and government loyalists. Mane was killed on 30 November 2000 by loyalist forces.