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Military junta seizes power in mauritania

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   http://www.forbes.com/work/feeds/afx/2005/08/04/afx2171906.html

http://www.forbes.com/work/feeds/afx/2005/08/04/afx2171906.html

AFX News Limited
Mauritania national security chief heads junta after coup
08.04.2005, 04:47 AM

NOUAKCHOTT (AFX) - Mauritania's director of national security, colonel Ely Ould Mohammed Vall, has become head of the junta, or Military Council for Justice and Democracy, which seized power early yesterday, the Council said in a written statement last night.

'The colonel, Ely Ould Mohammed Vall, director of national security, will preside over the Military Council for Justice and Democracy comprising 17 other officers,' according to the statement read on national radio.

He was reputed as being close to President Maaouyia Ould Taya and having fought at his side on his coming to power in a coup in December 1984.

Troops seized power in the oil-rich northwest African country yesterday, overthrowing President Maaouyia Ould Taya while he was abroad and pledging to bring in democracy, in a move which sparked condemnation from US and other leaders.

'The military and the security forces have unanimously decided to put an end to the totalitarian practices of the regime from which our people have suffered so much in the last years,' a statement quoted by the state news agency said, adding that the new regime would usher in democracy within two years.

The statement was issued several hours after troops took over the armed forces headquarters and state radio and television buildings at dawn, surrounding ministries and the presidential palace in the capital Nouakchott.

Although residents of the city later emerged from their homes to express support for the coup leaders in apparently spontaneous protests, the United States led international condemnation of the move.

The US called for 'a peaceful return to order under the constitution and the established government of President (Ould) Taya', acting State Department spokesman Tom Casey said adding Ould Taya, a US ally, was 'the established, constitutional president of Mauritania'.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan also condemned the seizure of power, with spokesman Stephane Dujarric saying he was 'deeply troubled' by the reports and stressing Annan 'condemns any attempt to change the government of any country unconstitutionally'.

France called for democracy and the 'legal institutional framework' to be respected, while Britain, as current holders of the European Union presidency, called 'upon all sides to ensure full respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law'.

Spain and the EU's executive commission in Brussels also condemned the move.

Ould Taya, a former army chief of staff who ruled with an iron fist since staging a bloodless coup in 1984, yesterday landed in the west African state of Niger, an aide to Niger President Mamadou Tandja said in Niamey.

He had been in Saudi Arabia for the funeral of King Fahd, and was prevented from returning home when the military closed down Nouakchott airport.

The statement by the unidentified coup leaders said the ousted regime had put Mauritania on a dangerous course, adding: 'For this reason, the military and security forces have decided to put in place a Military Council for Justice and Democracy.'

They pledged to 'establish favourable conditions for an open and transparent democratic system on which civil society and political players will be able to give their opinions freely.

'The military and security forces do not intend to hold power for longer than a period of two years, which is considered essential to prepare and establish true democratic institutions,' the statement said.

Ould Taya was a strong ally of the United States at the helm of Mauritania, which sits on some 1 bln barrels of oil and 30 bln cubic meters of natural gas, according to the government, but has scarcely begun production.

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