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Togo's new military-installed president flew to Nigeria on Thursday for talks with President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is leading regional efforts to reverse the Togolese leader's army-backed succession to power.
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) -- Togo's new military-installed president flew to Nigeria on Thursday for talks with President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is leading regional efforts to reverse the Togolese leader's army-backed succession to power.
Faure Gnassingbe was immediately ushered into closed-door talks with Obasanjo upon his arrival, minus any of the ceremonies normally accorded a visiting head of state.
Togo's military announced Gnassingbe's appointment to the presidency on February 5 hours after his father -- 38-year Togo ruler Gnassingbe Eyadema -- died of a heart attack.
Togolese lawmakers retroactively made the appointment legal and amended the constitution to allow the son to hold power through the 2008 end of his father's term.
Late Wednesday, Nigerian Foreign Minister Oluyemi Adeniji told reporters that Togo was giving some signs of relenting on Gnassingbe's appointment, under what has been intense pressure from fellow African leaders.
"In principle, they gave us the impression that they will go back to the constitution, but there are still some details on which we have to wait until they announce it," Adeniji said.
Nigerian officials declined immediate comment on the Togolese president's unannounced visit, saying only that a statement would be issued at the end of the meeting.
Under Togo's original constitution, Togo's speaker of parliament should have been appointed interim leader pending new elections.
West Africa's main leaders' bloc has threatened a travel ban against Togolese leaders, as well as trade sanctions, if Togo does not revert to the original constitutional outline for appointing Eyadema's successor.
Nigeria has held out the possibility of military action to compel Togo to allow a democratically chosen replacement to Eyadema.