Togolese officials say the belligerents in the West African state of Guinea Bissau have reached a power-sharing agreement.

The deal aims to consolidate a ceasefire agreed last month in the war between President Nino Vieira and his sacked former army chief, General Ansumane Mane.

The power sharing agreement, reached in the Togolese capital, Lome, centres on the distribution of cabinet portfolios and the possible deployment of a West African peacekeeping force.

Several African states, including the regional giant Nigeria, are involved in the negotiations, trying to stop violence spreading in an area already plagued by conflict.

The war was fought to a standstill earlier this year with President Vieira ending up in control of the capital and General Mane running the rest of the country.

But the struggle took on an international aspect because President Vieira called in troops from neighbouring Senegal to help him.

Now several West African states have offered peacekeeping troops to try to stop unrest spreading further in what is already a very volatile region.

Working together

The Togolese hosts of the peace talks said President Vieira had agreed to a government of national unity under which General Mane would get the powerful ministries of defence and interior while President Vieira's appointee would retain the foreign affairs portfolio.

The Togolese official said the two men had also agreed to the deployment of a West African peacekeeping force soon.

Mediators in the Guinea Bissau conflict have announced agreements before, which have subsequently collapsed.

If it is confirmed that President Vieira has agreed to give up the defence and interior ministries, it would amount to a diplomatic victory for General Mane.

But what really matters is what happens on the ground, on the frontline around the capital, Bissau.

There, Senegalese troops are still defending the president's palace and effectively keeping their ally in power.