By Caspar Leighton
BBC News, Accra
**The head of a UN investigation into the killing of opposition demonstrators in the west African state of Guinea has arrived in the country.**UN Assistant Secretary General Haile Menkerios is to investigate the events of 28 September, when Guinean soldiers opened fire on the protesters.
They were calling on Guinea’s military ruler not to stand for election.
Mr Menkerios’ arrival is the most powerful sign yet that the world beyond Africa intends to pursue the case.
Human rights groups say some 157 people died in last month’s clashes, but the junta puts the toll at 57.
On Sunday, Mr Menkerios met the military ruler, Capt Moussa Dadis Camara, Guinean Prime Minister Kabine Komara, and members of the opposition.
CAPT MOUSSA DADIS CAMARA
- Seized power in December 2008 as a little-known army captain
- Promised democracy, but now shows signs of holding on to power
- Increasingly erratic behaviour and public humiliation of officials
Guinea’s erratic military ruler
Guinea under Camara: Story so far
Eyewitness: ‘Bodies were falling’
The UN investigator said the prime minister assured him that Guinea’s military government welcomed the probe and would co-operate fully.
The Guinean authorities have blamed the September killings on out-of-control soldiers and opposition provocation.
Capt Camara has himself called for an investigation.
The arrival of the UN team in Conakry adds to the broad international pressure being put on the military government to write itself out of Guinea’s political future.
So far Capt Camara has yet to yield, despite an African Union deadline for him to do so.