The presidents of Liberia and Sierra Leone have met their Guinean counterpart Lansana Conte to try to prevent violent political unrest in his country from destabilising theirs.
Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Sierra Leonean head of state Ahmad Tejan Kabbah met the Guinean leader eight days after he declared martial law to quell a popular insurrection against his 23-year-rule.
The talks covered border cooperation and regional security concerns, including reports that Liberian ex-rebels were being recruited to fight in Guinea if the crisis in the West African state descended into all-out civil war.
More than 120 people, mostly unarmed civilians, have been killed since the beginning of the year in Guinea in clashes between security forces and protesters led by unions demanding that the reclusive Conte, who is in his 70s, cede power.
Although draconian martial law measures have restored calm to the world's leading bauxite exporter, analysts have warned the Guinean unrest could suck in and destabilise neighbouring states in one of Africa's most volatile regions.
"President (Johnson-Sirleaf) is very much concerned about the situation in Guinea and wants to see how she, along with Kabbah, can help bring peace and reconciliation to that sister country," a spokesman for the Liberian president said.
The latest bout of protests came after Conte named an old ally, Eugene Camara, as prime minister despite having earlier agreed to choose a consensus figure.
Union leaders met senior state officials to try to resolve the crisis on Tuesday but the talks ended in failure after strike leaders refused to endorse Camara's nomination.
"They asked us to approve an unpopular decision ... with all these deaths and all this damage we could not take the risk. The prime minister absolutely has to be changed," union negotiator Boubacar Biro Barry said.
