::

 
Basis for hope in Sao Tome

Another obrigado to Randy Paul who emailed good news on Sao Tome.

Seems the junta that staged the coup feels pressure and wants to talk.

Maj. Fernando Pereira, who heads a three-man junta installed after Wednesday's bloodless rebellion, asked the United States, Nigeria and a delegation from Portuguese-speaking countries "to find a solution to the crisis."

...

The announcement came after two days of talks between the junta and the U.S. Ambassador to Gabon, Kenneth Moorefield, who is also accredited in Sao Tome, and Portuguese Ambassador Mario de Jesus Santos.

...

The deposed president held talks in Nigeria's capital Abuja on Friday with Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and his Mozambique counterpart, Joachim Chissano.

Afterward, Menezes smiled at reporters as he delivered a message for his people: "They should believe that things will end properly and well for everybody," he said.

Local reporting is more reserved - perhaps out of pragmatism.

Worth reading, it gives some more regional context and digs up who some of the bidders are for the oil extraction contracts:

An official at the Nigeria-Sao Tome Joint Development Authority, which is handling the bids, said on condition of anonymity that ExxonMobil, Royal/Dutch Shell, ChevronTexaco and TotalFinaElf were among companies that have indicated interest.

Adam Sullivan, 04:37 | 0 comments