President Eyadema Dies; Son Named Successor - Los Angeles Times
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President Eyadema Dies; Son Named Successor

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From Times Wire Reports

Togo’s President Gnassingbe Eyadema, 69, died of a heart attack on his way to Europe for treatment, officials said.

Hours later, Togo’s military high command named Eyadema’s 39-year-old son, Faure Gnassingbe, president. The constitution gives that power to the speaker of parliament, but the military said he was out of the country and it needed to avoid a “total vacuum of power.†Airports and borders were closed.

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