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| Guinea junta pledges 2009 polls | Guinea junta pledges 2009 polls |
| (about 12 hours later) | |
| Guinea's military ruler has promised to hold elections in 2009 - a year earlier than previously announced, a senior French official has said. | Guinea's military ruler has promised to hold elections in 2009 - a year earlier than previously announced, a senior French official has said. |
| "Captain [Moussa Dadis] Camara was very clear... in accepting the period of 12 months," said Alain Joyandet, after meeting the military ruler in Conakry. | "Captain [Moussa Dadis] Camara was very clear... in accepting the period of 12 months," said Alain Joyandet, after meeting the military ruler in Conakry. |
| Capt Camara also pledged not to stand in those polls, according to the French secretary of state for co-operation. | Capt Camara also pledged not to stand in those polls, according to the French secretary of state for co-operation. |
| He seized power last month, hours after the death of President Lansana Conte. | He seized power last month, hours after the death of President Lansana Conte. |
| Mr Joyandet is the most senior western official to meet the coup leaders, reports the AFP news agency. | Mr Joyandet is the most senior western official to meet the coup leaders, reports the AFP news agency. |
| "We are satisfied that in 2009 Guinea will have a new parliament and a new elected president," he said. | "We are satisfied that in 2009 Guinea will have a new parliament and a new elected president," he said. |
| Aid continues | Aid continues |
| Some Western countries had called for elections within six months but Mr Joyandet said this was not realistic, as voter lists were not ready, according to Reuters news agency. | Some Western countries had called for elections within six months but Mr Joyandet said this was not realistic, as voter lists were not ready, according to Reuters news agency. |
| The envoy also said that France would continue with financial aid to the electoral commission, notably in the area of voter registration, which has stalled because of a lack of money. | The envoy also said that France would continue with financial aid to the electoral commission, notably in the area of voter registration, which has stalled because of a lack of money. |
| Capt Camara previously said he would organise elections by the end of 2010 - when President Conte's term of office would have expired. | Capt Camara previously said he would organise elections by the end of 2010 - when President Conte's term of office would have expired. |
| The African Union has suspended Guinea because of the military intervention, which has been strongly condemned by Western donors. | The African Union has suspended Guinea because of the military intervention, which has been strongly condemned by Western donors. |
| But many people in Guinea back the move, which follows many years of economic stagnation and political repression under Mr Conte. | But many people in Guinea back the move, which follows many years of economic stagnation and political repression under Mr Conte. |
| But the African Union decided not to apply sanctions and said it would work closely with the coup plotters, to try to bring Guinea back to constitutionality. | But the African Union decided not to apply sanctions and said it would work closely with the coup plotters, to try to bring Guinea back to constitutionality. |
| Guinea's junta has said it will review mining operations in the country and renegotiate "defective" agreements with mining companies. | |
| More than a third of the world's bauxite reserves are in Guinea, making it the second-largest producer internationally. It also has large reserves of gold, diamonds, iron and nickel. | More than a third of the world's bauxite reserves are in Guinea, making it the second-largest producer internationally. It also has large reserves of gold, diamonds, iron and nickel. |