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Arrest warrants against former president still "in effect": Burkina Faso president

Xinhua, April 4, 2016 Adjust font size:

The international arrest warrants issued against former Burkina Faso President Blaise Compoare and the Ivorian National Assembly Chairman Guillaume Kigbafori Soro "are in effect", Burkina Faso president announced on Sunday in Bobo-Dioulasso, 345 km west to the capital Ouagadougou.

"Regarding the arrest warrants, until there is evidence to the contrary, they are in effect,"President Roch Marc Christian Kabore said.

"Beyond, arrest warrants shall not alter friendship and fraternity ties between people of Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso," he added, during a meeting as part of his hundred day of office.

"I have not received request for the issuance of arrest warrant in this regard. It was when I returned from Cotonou that, like all other Burkina Faso citizens, I learnt that there was arrest warrant,"Christian Kabore explained.

Two international arrest warrants have been issued against Blaise Compaore and Guillaume Soro, as they are supposed to be involved in September 2015 aborted coup against the one year transition regime in Burkina Faso.

Former president Blaise Compaore came to power in 1987 and resigned amid insurrection in October 2014, as he attempted to unlock constitution for undue term office.

Exiled in Ivory Coast, Compaore obtained Ivorian citizenship whereas Burkina Faso accused him of "high treason and plots against constitution".

According to Ivorian laws, the country does not extradite its own nationals. Enditem