A special envoy was at State House last Friday to hand over the missive.

Benin's Minister of State in charge of National Defence Dr. Issifou Kogui N'dour came out of an audience with the Minister of State, Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, Laurent Esso, last Friday morning quite elated. Even before waiting reporters asked him the subject of their discussions, he humorously fired the first shots : "I am becoming a very familiar face here at the Presidency of Cameroon and I imagine you should be itching to know why I am here today".

He would not give details of the contents of President Thomas Boni Yayi's sealed letter which he had just handed over to Mr. Esso for onward transmission to President Paul Biya. However, explaining the regularity of his visits to Cameroon, the Beninese Defence Minister said these were simply proof of the depth of relations between Benin and Cameroon. Dr. Kogui N'dour suggested that it is only through regular consultations that Africans can get out of their problems. "Benin's problems are Cameroon's and Cameroon's problems are considered by Benin as theirs", the Beninese official said. He said visits such as the one he was making help to keep bilateral relations alive.

In conclusion, he said Paul Biya's stature in Africa alone required regular consultations with him. "He has become a reference in Africa and we come here to learn from him", Dr. Kogui N'dour stated.