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| Guinea plea to end attempted coup | Guinea plea to end attempted coup |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The head of Guinea's national assembly has urged the international community to stop an attempted military coup. | The head of Guinea's national assembly has urged the international community to stop an attempted military coup. |
| "The international community must... prevent the military from interrupting the democratic process," Aboubacar Sompare told Reuters news agency. | "The international community must... prevent the military from interrupting the democratic process," Aboubacar Sompare told Reuters news agency. |
| Soldiers said on Tuesday that they had seized power after the death of President Lansana Conte, but the situation remains unclear. | Soldiers said on Tuesday that they had seized power after the death of President Lansana Conte, but the situation remains unclear. |
| African Union leaders are holding emergency talks on the crisis. | African Union leaders are holding emergency talks on the crisis. |
| According to Guinea's constitution, Mr Sompare should be in charge of the government until elections are held in 60 days. | According to Guinea's constitution, Mr Sompare should be in charge of the government until elections are held in 60 days. |
| In a telephone interview with Reuters, Mr Sompare said the army was split between loyalists and coup-plotters. | In a telephone interview with Reuters, Mr Sompare said the army was split between loyalists and coup-plotters. |
| Lansana Conte seized power in 1984 and won three controversial elections Fear in Guinea at army takeover'End of misrule'Obituary: Guinea's Lansana ConteGuinea army statement in full | Lansana Conte seized power in 1984 and won three controversial elections Fear in Guinea at army takeover'End of misrule'Obituary: Guinea's Lansana ConteGuinea army statement in full |
| "The situation hasn't been resolved yet. Loyalists and coup-mongers have met... but they haven't been able to reach an agreement," Mr Sompare said. | "The situation hasn't been resolved yet. Loyalists and coup-mongers have met... but they haven't been able to reach an agreement," Mr Sompare said. |
| But in a statement on national television, coup leader Capt Capt Mussa Dadis Camara accused loyalist troops of seeking "the intervention of foreign mercenaries from neighbouring countries". | |
| Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare has said the government, protected by loyal troops, was still the legitimate authority. | Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare has said the government, protected by loyal troops, was still the legitimate authority. |
| There are tanks on the streets of Conakry, but for the moment the city is calm. | There are tanks on the streets of Conakry, but for the moment the city is calm. |
| A power struggle in the army could be extremely dangerous given the country's ethnic divisions, says the BBC's West Africa correspondent Will Ross. | A power struggle in the army could be extremely dangerous given the country's ethnic divisions, says the BBC's West Africa correspondent Will Ross. |
| Guinea's neighbours - Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast - are enjoying relative stability after years of conflict, and there are fears any unrest in Guinea could spread. | Guinea's neighbours - Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast - are enjoying relative stability after years of conflict, and there are fears any unrest in Guinea could spread. |
| Elections pledge | Elections pledge |
| The crisis began hours after the death of President Conte, when coup spokesman Capt Camara went on state radio to say that the government and other institutions had been dissolved in favour of a National Council for Democracy. | |
| He said he would head a 32-member national council that would run the country. | He said he would head a 32-member national council that would run the country. |
| Analysts had predicted an attempted military coup after Mr Conte's death | |
| Later, he said the council would hold "free, credible and transparent elections" in December 2010, when President Conte's term would have ended. | Later, he said the council would hold "free, credible and transparent elections" in December 2010, when President Conte's term would have ended. |
| "The council has no ambitions to hold on to power. The only reason is the need to safeguard territorial integrity. That is the only reason. There is no ulterior motive," he said. | "The council has no ambitions to hold on to power. The only reason is the need to safeguard territorial integrity. That is the only reason. There is no ulterior motive," he said. |
| However, there also appears to be disagreement among the plotters as to whether Capt Camara should head the new national council. | However, there also appears to be disagreement among the plotters as to whether Capt Camara should head the new national council. |
| Many analysts had predicted the army would try to take over following President Conte's death because he had been increasingly relying on it to shore up his oppressive rule, our correspondent says. | Many analysts had predicted the army would try to take over following President Conte's death because he had been increasingly relying on it to shore up his oppressive rule, our correspondent says. |
| In recent years he was in such poor health it was often difficult to know who was in charge. | In recent years he was in such poor health it was often difficult to know who was in charge. |
| President Conte died on Monday night after a "long illness". | President Conte died on Monday night after a "long illness". |
| The cause of his death is unknown, but Mr Conte, 74, was a chain-smoker and diabetic who is also believed to have suffered from leukaemia. | The cause of his death is unknown, but Mr Conte, 74, was a chain-smoker and diabetic who is also believed to have suffered from leukaemia. |
| class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYWe need a change, change that will benefit all Guineans. We pray for a good leaderAmara, Nzerekore class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5843&edition=2&ttl=20081223134955">Send us your commentsThe African Union, European Union and United States led condemnation of the coup. | |
| Former colonial power France, in its capacity as the current holder of the EU presidency - said it would oppose any attempted putsch in Guinea. | Former colonial power France, in its capacity as the current holder of the EU presidency - said it would oppose any attempted putsch in Guinea. |
| President Conte came to power in 1984 at the head of a military coup to fill the vacuum left by the sudden death of his predecessor, Sekou Toure, who had been president since independence from France in 1958. | President Conte came to power in 1984 at the head of a military coup to fill the vacuum left by the sudden death of his predecessor, Sekou Toure, who had been president since independence from France in 1958. |
| He eventually oversaw a return to civilian rule and was elected three times, although critics said the votes were never free or fair. | He eventually oversaw a return to civilian rule and was elected three times, although critics said the votes were never free or fair. |
| Although Guinea's mineral wealth makes it potentially one of Africa's richest countries, its population of about 10 million is among the poorest in the region. | Although Guinea's mineral wealth makes it potentially one of Africa's richest countries, its population of about 10 million is among the poorest in the region. |
| Are you in Guinea? Or from the country? Tell us what you think about these developments. You can send your comments using the form below: | Are you in Guinea? Or from the country? Tell us what you think about these developments. You can send your comments using the form below: |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |