West African Bloc Imposes Sanctions On Guinean Junta

The Economic Community of West African States has decided to impose sanctions on individuals in the military government of Guinea in response to last year's coup in Conakry. <br />They agreed on gradual sanctions on a list of people linked to the Guinean junta who will be identified very soon. <br />Guinean leaders say they need three years to return the country to democracy and they are unhappy with Ecowas' demands for a faster transition. <br />The Guinean interim prime minister, Bernard Gomou, had earlier described the Ecowas chief and president of neighbouring Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, as a puppet and an overexcited man who had forced his way in to lead the regional organisation.