Guinea's ill president to run again

Guinea's ill president to run again

Conte warns against politicising the army.

President Lansana Conte of Guinea, who is suffering from failing health, has said he will run for a third term in office.

Guinea is the current chair of the United Nations Security Council but Mr Conte kept out of the limelight during intensive lobbying by the United States, Britain and France over the now discarded draft second resolution on threatening war in Iraq.

Mr Conte, a diabetic, emerged to tell a meeting of his supporters at his presidential palace in the capital, Conakry, that he would be a candidate in December's elections.

Guinea's powerful president, a military ruler turned civilian president, won controversial elections in 1993.

Even though he has already served two terms in office he successfully changed the constitution in 2001 to make it possible to run for office indefinitely.

Military garrisons

Last year he received medical treatment in Morocco and on Tuesday he told his supporters that he is unwell.

"But this does not stop me thinking", the president was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying.

Mr Conte also warned his opponents against politicising the army as his absence from the country had prompted rumours of a coup.

"I warn all opponents who might be tempted to export politics into the military garrisons during the elections campaign. They will have to deal with me," he said.

The capital has seen violent protests in recent weeks over increases in fuel prices and prolonged power cuts.

But Mr Conte blamed insufficient rains for the lack of water in the dams to operate the electricity generators.

A man died in the capital when security forces in capital, Conakry clashed with students protesting against the price rise, a human rights group reported.