Nairobi — The Central African Republic's (CAR) leading rebel, Francois Bozize, intends to transform his movement into a political party, Jeune Afrique L'intelligent, a Paris-based magazine, reported on the Internet on Tuesday. The party is to be called the Rassemblement des patriotes pour un renouveau en Centrafrique, the weekly reported.
Bozize, who is exiled in France, is "collaborating with" the Coordination des patriotes centrafricains - an umbrella of exiled opposition groups led by Karim Meckassoua. In the short term, L'intelligent reported, this coalition was demanding negotiations with CAR President Ange-Felix Patasse and a general amnesty for the rebels. In the medium term, the coalition wants a transitional government formed and for Patasse to declare formally that he will not run for office at the end of his term in 2005.
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