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Burkina Faso's president lifts state of emergency

Blaise Compaore announced that he would open talks with opposition on the transitional government

President of Burkina Faso Blaise Compaore EPA/IAN LANGSDON

President of Burkina Faso Blaise Compaore

© EPA/IAN LANGSDON

RABAT, October 31. / TASS /. The President of Burkina Faso Blaise Compaore has lifted state of emergency, which was recently declared, and announced that he would open talks with opposition concerning the transitional government.

"I am available to open talks on a transitional period at the end of which I will hand over power," Compaore said in a statement broadcast on BF1 TV in Burkina Faso on Thursday.

Dissolution of parliament

Earlier Compaore declared dissolution of the parliament and state of emergency in Burkina Faso, following mass protest which were held against the president’s attempts to extend his 27-year rule. Thereafter, the head of Burkina Faso's armed forces, General Honoré Traoré, announced that a transitional government, which will rule no more than 12 months, will be created in Burkina Faso

Violent protests

Last week the Burkina Faso government officials were set to hold a referendum on a measure that would change the country’s constitution to allow President Blaise Compaoré to run for re-election. A scheduled election was canceled after massive violent protests in Burkina Faso’s capital of Ouagadougou and in other cities.

Demonstrators broke into the National Assembly, the lower house of the Burkina Faso's legislative body, and stormed the national television headquarters. In Bobo-Dioulasso, the second largest city in the country, protesters left city hall and the nation’s ruling party’s headquarters in flames.

The next presidential election is set for 2015. Blaise Compaoré is a veteran of political arena in Africa, he has served as President of Burkina Faso since 1987.

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