Blaise Compaore: says he won’t resign

Burkina’s under-fire President Blaise Compaore said in a televised speech Thursday that he was not resigning and was open to talks about a transition of power.

He gave the broadcast after the army dissolved the government and parliament following violent protests against the veteran leader.

“I have heard the message,” Compaore said, adding that he was “available” for talks on “a period of transition after which power will be transferred to a democratically elected president”.

He added that he was cancelling a state of emergency declared hours earlier.