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 Michel Kafando addressed his supporters and West African leaders
who flew to the capital of the West African state to negotiate the
terms of the end to the coup, in which troops under General Gilbert
Diendere briefly took power.
Diendere had greeted the heads of state from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin
and Niger at the airport earlier in the day, giving the impression
he was still in charge. But he did not attend Kafando's speech and
later said he regretted the coup.
National elections, scheduled for Oct. 11, were meant to mark a
return to democracy in Burkina Faso, a year after demonstrators
toppled President Blaise Compaore as he attempted to extend his
27-year rule, but it was not clear if they would go ahead on
schedule.
Kafando's task was to guide the country to that vote, a process seen
as a beacon for democratic hopes in Africa at a time when leaders
from Rwanda to Congo Republic appear to be maneuvering to scrap term
limits to extend their rule.
"If ever there was a transition to be held up as an example, it is
indeed ours," Kafando said.
Supporters chanted "Presi, Presi, Presi" as he took the podium at a
conference center in the capital Ouagadougou.
"I can assure you that we are determined to carry on with the
mission the Burkinabe people have entrusted us with, to build strong
institutions and a real democracy," he said, thanking the
international community for condemning the coup.
The leaders from ECOWAS -- the Economic Community of West African
States -- later met the coup leaders and transitional authorities.
While Kafando's restoration marks the end of the coup attempt,
questions remain, including how to disarm the presidential guard and
whether the coup leaders will be brought to trial. Many in the
country said they opposed an initial ECOWAS proposal that included
amnesty for the coup leaders.
It was also unclear whether several of Compaore's allies will now be
allowed to contest the elections. Their exclusion was cited by
Diendere among the main reasons for his coup.
"The putsch is over .... We have to find a way to make peace,
stability .... There were victims and wounded and it's my biggest
regret," Diendere told journalists, adding that he took
responsibility.
INTERNATIONAL CONCERN
The presence of the foreign leaders signaled international concern
for Burkina Faso, an ally of the United States and France in their
battle against Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda in the Sahel
region.
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Kafando was accompanied at the ceremony by Prime Minister Yacouba
Isaac Zida, who was held for days after soldiers stormed a cabinet
meeting last Wednesday, and the head of the transitional parliament,
Moumina Cheriff Sy.
Earlier in the afternoon, presidential guard soldiers maintained
their positions at the national television station, but Diendere
said they were all back in their barracks, as agreed in a deal
overnight made with loyalist forces.
Following the deal, loyalist troops, who converged on the capital
this week from bases across the country to disarm the coup leaders,
were also not visible on the streets.
Hospital sources said at least 10 civilians died and 123 were
injured as security forces suppressed protests against the coup.
Some Ouagadougou residents said they did not want Diendere, a former
intelligence chief, to be allowed to leave the country before facing
justice.
Life in Ouagadougou began to return to normal following a stand-off
on Tuesday between pro- and anti-coup forces.
Shops opened and the city's residents poured onto the streets in a
rush to shop for Thursday's celebration of Tabaski, or Eid al-Adha,
the Muslim feast of sacrifice.
"I am happy that Kafando is back in power. But nothing is resolved.
We are still being held hostage by the RSP (presidential guard). I
am also worried about the security situation," said resident Idrissa
Ouedraogo.
(Additional reporting by Joe Penney in Ouagadougou and Makini Brice
in Dakar; Writing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg; editing by Larry King)
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