Ghana Releases Guineans

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31210, 7 November 1966, Page 17

Ghana Releases Guineans

(Al .Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) ADDIS ABABA, November 6. Ghana agreed last night to release 19 Guineans held in Accra since last Saturday, thus saving a summit conference of African leaders from collapse.

Seven heads of state attending the summit conference of the Organisation of African Unity, which opened in Addis Ababa yesterday, had threatened to walk out if the dispute was not settled.

The release of the Guineans was announced by Emperor Haile Selassie, of Ethiopia, after a three-hour

secret session in which he, President Nasser of the United Arab Republic, and President William Tubman, of Liberia, talked with Ghana’s military ruler, Lieu-tenant-General Joseph Ankrah.

The Emperor said he and the other two leaders had undertaken to see to it that all Ghanaian citizens who might be held in Guinea against their will would be released. He said that the released Guinean delegates would reach Addis Ababa today. He had cabled President Toure inviting him to join the conference, he added. Ghana announced last week that the detained Guineans, including the Foreign Minister, Mr Louis Lansana Beauvogui, and his delegation bound for the summit talks, were being held hostage for about 100 Ghanaians allegedly held in Conakry, the capital of Guinea. The Guinean President, Mr Sekou Toure, denied that any Ghanaians were held in his country against their will and boycotted the O.A.U. conference in protest against Ghana’s action.