CONAKRY (AFP) — The United States demanded an immediate return to civilian rule in Guinea on Thursday after a military junta seized power and said elections would not be held for two years, a US embassy statement said.
"The United States of America condemns the military coup in Guinea and rejects the communique promising elections in December 2010," said the statement in French.
"We demand an immediate return to civilian rule."
The embassy also called for respect for basic human rights of all citizens and in particular Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare and members of his government.
The military should cooperate closely with civilian authorities with a view to restoring civilian order in Guinea, the embassy said, adding that an original timetable for parliamentary elections in May 2009 should be respected.
On Wednesday Washington threatened to suspend its aid to Guinea, some 15 million dollars this year, if the military coup leaders do not take steps to return civilian rule.
"One of the things we want to see immediately is a restoration of a civilian democratic rule," said State Department spokesman Robert Wood.
"We are very disappointed that this transition process in Guinea does not have any civilian component," Wood told reporters.
Referring to the cutting of aid, Wood said, "That is exactly an example of what we are looking at but we have not made any decision."
"We will be talking about that with our allies in the region and our European allies to see what pressure we can bring to bear," he said.
The African Union, the European Union, the United Nations and former colonial power France have all condemned the coup and appealed for a democratic transition of power.
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