Mounting international pressure for compromise

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has said keeping the army under control, amid mounting international criticism, will be one of the ROC government's top priorities. In its latest analysis of the country, EIU noted ROC's geography of bush, rainforest and mountains was ideally suited to guerrilla warfare and unless troops were regularly paid, the country could be "condemned to an indefinite period of political instability". "Fighting resumed more than eight months ago, and it is becoming increasingly clear that neither the Ninja and Cocoye fighters loyal to (ousted premier) Mr Kolelas and (ousted president) Mr Lissouba, nor the government troops, have the capacity to win the war," the EIU analysis said. It noted that the government was likely to come under renewed international pressure to reach a compromise with Lissouba and Kolelas who are now living in exile, otherwise financial assistance could be suspended.