Guinea president sacks peace PM

Mr Kouyate, a former UN diplomat, had more power than previous PMs

Guinea's President Lansana Conte has sacked the prime minister appointed as part of a deal in 2007 to end deadly riots that paralysed the country.

The BBC's Alhassan Sillah in Guinea says youths took to the streets in one part of the capital, Conakry, to protest at Lansana Kouyate's sacking.

Tyres have also been burnt in his home town of Tantan, our reporter says.

Ahmed Tidiane Souare, a former minister of mines and ally of Mr Conte, has been named as his replacement.

No reason was given for the sacking, which was announced on state television on Tuesday night.

Mr Kouyate, a former UN diplomat, had more powers than his predecessors, including the right to appoint and dismiss ministers.

Correspondents say in recent months loyalists to Mr Conte, who found themselves sidelined from power and resources, have done their best to derail last year's peace agreement.

Trade union leaders, who led the general strike to protest at falling living standards blamed on Mr Conte's leadership, have gone into a meeting to discuss the sacking.

Guinea is rich in resources, including bauxite needed to produce aluminium.