28/07/2004

TOGO LEADER'S RIVAL GETS PASSPORT AHEAD OF TALKS

TOGOLESE AUTHORITIES BOWED TO A KEY DEMAND FOR TALKS WITH THE OPPOSITION ON WEDNESDAY BY RESTORING A PASSPORT TO A rival of President Gnassingbe Eyadema, Africa's longest-serving leader, a peace group said.

Leading opposition figure Gilchrist Olympio received the passport at a public ceremony in Rome, following mediation by Italy-based Catholic group, Sant'Egidio, which hosted the event.

"It was the first gesture, bold and symbolic, toward the path to reconciliation," said Sant'Egidio in a statement.

The government of Eyadema, who seized power in a 1967 coup, committed itself in April to holding talks with the opposition under pressure from the European Union.

The EU suspended aid to the former French colony of five million people in 1993, citing its poor democratic record.

The peace group, which brokered the end of the Mozambique civil war in 1993, said Olympio's passport was taken from him by the government seven years ago. He had been travelling using other official permits.

The two main opposition parties boycotted the start of talks in May, and it was not immediately clear when dialogue would take place. There was no immediate comment from Togo.

Olympio's party, the Union of Forces for Change, said earlier this month he would travel to the West African country soon.