Guei meets Taylor

Ivorian military leader General Robert Guei paid a day-long “private visit” to Liberia on Thursday, his first foreign foray since seizing power on 24 December. “He was only there for the day and returned to Abidjan last night,” Issa Sangare, the press spokesman, told IRIN on Friday. He declined further comment. However, Liberian Deputy Information Minister Milton Teahjay told IRIN that Guei held “very fruitful and very rewarding” talks with President Charles Taylor. “They spoke about the need to strengthen ties between the two countries and the need to democratise Cote d’Ivoire,” Teahjay said. Taylor offered to help to achieve this goal and called on the international community to “be patient” with the Ivorian authorities as they try to return to constitutional rule, Teahjay said. The Ivorian state owned daily, ‘Fraternite Matin’, reported that Guei was accompanied by the ministers for security and external affairs, General Lassana Palenfo and Christophe M’Boua. News reports said that Guei visited Ghana and Burkina Faso but Sangare was unable to confirm these trips. During the eight year civil war which ended in 1997, Cote d’Ivoire gave Taylor’s guerrilla army tacit logistical support, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.