By NNN-KUNA,
Riyadh : Secretary-General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu has expressed concern over the military takeover staged against the democratically-elected goverrnment in Mauritania Wednesday and detention of the president and prime minister by the army officers.
He said in a statement that he was particularly dismayed by this development as Mauritania had been exhibiting exemplary development towards the entrenchment of democracy and rule of law in the country with the visible positive role and support of its armed forces.
Therefore, he said, he would have wished that all matters related to the conduct of political process in the country to be handled within the democratic principles and supremacy of law.
He reminded that all Mauritanians and the international community, as well as the OIC, had invested heavily in the democracy project in Mauritania and hoped that the armed forces would continue their positive role in favour of democracy.
He called for the restoration of democratic process as soon as possible including an immediate release of the president, prime minister and other members of the government.