LUANDA, Aug 4, 2005 (Xinhua via COMTEX)
-- Guinea-Bissau's Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior Thursday backed
down from threats to resign and assured the international community that
he would stay on regardless of the poll's outcome.
According to reports reaching here,
before the start of the campaign for the country's runoff presidential
election, Gomes Junior has said he would stand down if Nino Vieira was
elected as the country's head of state, calling the former ruler of Guinea-
Bissau "a mercenary and traitor to the people."
"Persuaded by the democratic legitimacy given to it at the polls, the government aims to assure you that it will stand firm in following through with its governmental activities," Gomes Junior said Thursday in a meeting with diplomats and representatives of international organizations.
An announcement from the country's National Election Commission (CNE) on July 28 gave the provisional presidential victory to former military ruler Vieira by a margin of some 19,400 votes.
The ruling African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde party of Gomes Junior claimed that around 26,000 votes were "stolen" from its candidate, Malam Bacai Sanha in three electoral districts, including the capital, Bissau, and demanded that the CNE investigate.