New pullout date for foreign troops

Guinean and Senegalese troops, who supported Guinea Bissau President Joao Bernardo Vieira in trying to put down a military insurrection, will now leave the country by 16 March at the latest, news reports said. The missionary news agency, MISNA, quoted Military Junta spokesman Indutta Zamorra as saying yesterday that the new troop withdrawal deadline was reached by the Junta, the government, the West African peacekeeping force ECOMOG and the Senegalese army. Withdrawal of the troops, which has been a major demand of the Junta and of Prime Minister Francisco Fadul, was initially due for completion on 28 February. Their departure has been linked to the arrival of ECOMOG troops, sent by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). So far, 600 of the expected 1,450 ECOMOG troops have arrived. ECOWAS Director of Legal Affairs Roger Laloupo told IRIN today the community had not yet been informed of the new pullout date. He said the initial date for the withdrawal had not been set by ECOWAS, but was a proposal made by the parties to the conflict.