PRESIDENTIAL PALACE IN COTONOU; SOLDIERS ON GUARD OUTSIDE; STREET SCENES COTONOU.




Initials DHC/V/JB/EEH



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Background: DAHOMEY'S PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN BUSY REORGANISING ADMINISTRATIVE POSTS - TODAY (WEDNESDAY) MAJOR MAURICE KOUANDETE WAS OFFICIALLY APPOINTED COUNTRY'S HEAD OF STATE AND MINISTER OF DEFENCE, INFORMATION AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS. MAJOR KOUANDETE LED THE COUP WHICH OUSTED PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHE SOGLO, WHO CAME TO POWER HIMSELF DURING AN ARMY COUP TWO YEARS AGO. MAJOR KOUANDETE MADE HIS SUCCESSFUL CHALLENGE LAST WEEKEND, AND THIS IS THE FIRST FILM TO HAVE COME FROM THE DAHOMEY CAPITAL SINCE.

ACCORDING TO REPORTS A FORCE OF 2,000 TROOPS, BROUGHT IN TO COPE WITH PREVIOUS LABOUR TROUBLES, HAD SURROUNDED THE PRESIDENT'S RESIDENCE AND TAKEN UP POSITIONS AT STRATEGIC POINTS AND AROUND THE NATIONAL RADIO BUILDINGS. IT WAS A BLOODLESS COUP.

TODAY'S INFORMATION IS THAT PRESIDENT SOGLO HAS REFUSED TO RESIGN, AND HAS BEEN STRIPPED OF HIS PRESIDENTIAL POWERS AS FROM DECEMBER 17 -- DATE OF THE COUP. HE WAS PUT UNDER HOUSE ARREST SHORTLY AFTER THE TAKEOVER, BUT IT WAS THOUGHT TODAY THAT HE MAY HAVE SOUGHT PROTECTION AT THE FRENCH EMBASSY IN COTONOU.

THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY WAS OFFERED TO DR. EMILE-DERLIN ZINSOU, WHO HELD THE SAME PORTFOLIO IN THE OLD GOVERNMENT. BUT DR. ZINSOU DECLINED THE APPOINTMENT.

OF THE ELEVEN OTHER APPOINTED CABINET MINISTERS, TEN ARE ARMY OFFICERS.