23/07/2005

Togo poll rivals in peace promise

Togo's president and the leader of the opposition have held their first meeting since April's disputed polls and promised to end political violence.

After President Faure Gnassingbe met Gilchrist Olympio for several hours in Rome, they also promised that political prisoners would be released.

Mr Faure was declared the winner but Mr Olympio said the elections were rigged.

The pair also urged the 38,000 people who fled a police crackdown and election violence to return to Togo.

A spokesman for the Sant'Egidio religious community which organised the talks said there had been a positive atmosphere at the talks, with both sides showing goodwill.

President Faure Gnassingbe's father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, ruled Togo for 39 years before his death in February.

Mr Eyadema seized power from Mr Olympio's father, Sylvanus, in 1967.

The army installed Mr Gnassingbe as president before international pressure persuaded him to contest elections.

There were calls for a government of national unity government to be set up to reduce political violence which saw dozens killed after the elections.

However, Mr Olympio's Union of Forces for Change refused to be a junior partner and talks broke down.

Last month, human rights watchdog Amnesty International said that Togo's security forces and allied militia fighters had killed at least 150 people since the vote.