Nouakchott Rejects AU Ultimatum

(PANA)--The new Mauritanian leaders have rejected the African Union (AU) ultimatum to release overthrown President, Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, and restore constitutional order in the country by 6 October.

The position of the African Union ‘is not constructive and does not serve the interest of Mauritania’, said a statement issued here by the President of the High State Council (HCE), Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, while visiting a hospital.

AU Peace and Security Council (CPS) gave the ultimatum 22 September, at the occasion of a meeting in New York, alongside the United Nations General Assembly. AU said that it was deeply concerned by the soldiers’ unwillingness to rapidly restore political power in Mauritania, despite international efforts, including several missions to Nouakchott by the President of AU Commission and other emissaries.

Mauritania and the European Union (EU) will start consultations from 15 October on the basis of the Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement governing relationships between African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries (ACP), and the EU.

President Abdallahi’s regime was overthrown 6 August by a High State Council. The coup which has split opinion polls in Mauritania was strongly condemned by t he international community. The Council has announced the organisation, in early October, of national consultations aimed at the restoration of democracy.

Mauritanian MPs in favour of the coup, the majority, adopted a road map for the resumption of constitutional order whose outcome must be a new presidential election to exclude soldiers.

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