by
Martin Banks
Critics of the Guinean regime say the reported meeting this week sends "the wrong signals" to the international community.
The EU´s foreign policy chief Baroness Catherine Ashton has also come under fire following reports that she had deciding to normalize relations with Guinea ahead of a highly critical report by an independent electoral mission.
The EU report was published earlier this week and contains some criticisms of last September´s elections in the country.
The attack on Barroso and Ashton, two of the EU´s most senior officials, comes after Conde this week controversially formed a new government that includes no members of the opposition.
The move has sparked criticism that he is undermining national reconciliation while preparing his party for a presidential election planned next year.
The reported meeting between Barroso and Conde has sparked fresh controversy.
Conde was in Davos to attend a World Economic Forum session on Responsible Mineral Development Initiative.
The initiative aims at helping countries develop their mineral resources in a socially and economically responsible manner.
Leading the criticism Conde's meeting with the commission president was Gregory Mathieu, President of the Foundation for Democracy and Governance, a leading think tank.
He voiced concern about the apparent "change of attitude" of the EU towards Guinea and what he calls its "illegitimate president."
Mathieu, who is based in Brussels, told EBR, "Why was Lady Ashton normalizing relationship with Guinea in December even before the final report of the EU observatory mission, led by Cristian Preda, was published? This report was only issued on 21 January."
He added, "Why send EU observers to Guinea if you are not going to consider their conclusions? The team was, in fact, very negative about the last legislative elections"
"This report is saying that CENI (Commission Electorale Nationale Independant) is not an independent body at all. It also states that massive manipulations have been observed in the elections and that the Guinean Government used massive propaganda during the electoral campaign."
Ashton, the EU´s High Representative, also comes under fire, with Mathieu questioning, "Does Lady Ashton consider the elections last year to have been free, fair and inclusive?
"If not, why then decide to send €170m of European tax-payers money to Guinea. It is all very strange."
He also asked, "Why is Barroso, one day after rightly condemning the Ukrainian regime for the murders of peaceful protesters, ready to shake the hands of Alpha Condé whose hands are full of blood?"
"We should remember that since Conde rigged the elections in 2010, local NGO's in Guinea estimate that 55 young opposition demonstrators have been shot dead by the police there.
"Where is the balance? Is a Guinean life 10 times less important than others?"
His comments come after Conde's office announced his new team at the weekend, one week after the National Assembly convened for the first time since 2008.
Prime Minister Mohamed Said Fofana submitted the government's resignation last week so that Conde could appoint a new team, but Conde announced on Saturday that he was retaining Fofana. Both men are members of the Rally of the Guinean People party.
The new 34-member Cabinet includes 19 of Conde's old ministers.
Opposition spokesman Fode Oussou Fofanah on Tuesday accused Conde of appointing "a government of rewards" strictly devoted to him.
"These people fought for the president, not for Guinean democracy," he said.
Conde is likely to have made the appointments with next year's presidential vote in mind, said political analyst Thierno Alpha Ibrahima Balde.
"Alpha Conde has brought on board his closest followers for key posts like finance, mines, territorial administration and public works," Balde said.
"The absence of his opponents is clear. It is not a unity government."
Last November, Guinea’s Supreme Court rejected complaints lodged over the September election that saw Conde’s party win the majority of seats.
The opposition had alleged that mass fraud had taken place.
September´s elections were seen as a test of Conde's popularity ahead of presidential elections in 2015.
They were supposed to represent the final part in the jigsaw in a return to civilian rule since a military coup in 2008.
The last election for the legislature took place in 2002, during the 24-year dictatorship of General Lansana Conte.
Although the country has wealthy mineral reserves and has attracted a number of big mining projects, Guinea has struggled to deal with political instability and poverty.
By: N. Peter Kramer
