UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned about the unfolding events in Guinea-Bissau, and strongly condemns the coup perpetrated by elements of the military and any attempts to violate the constitutional order in the West African country, his spokesperson said on Thursday.
Stressing that any disregard of the will of the people who peacefully cast their vote during the Nov. 23 general elections constitutes an unacceptable violation of democratic principles, the UN chief calls for the immediate and unconditional restoration of constitutional order, as well as the release of all detained officials, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson, in a statement.
Dujarric said the UN chief urges all stakeholders to exercise utmost restraint, uphold democratic institutions and the rule of law, and respect the will of the people of Guinea-Bissau.
Guterres emphasizes that disputes must be resolved through peaceful and inclusive dialogue and legal avenues, and reaffirms the UN's full support for the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and the West African Elders Forum to safeguard democracy, promote stability, and assist Guinea-Bissau in concluding the electoral process peacefully and swiftly returning to its democratic path, said the spokesperson.
On Wednesday, Guinea-Bissau's armed forces declared on national television that they had assumed full control of state power in response to what they described as attempts by some political figures to destabilize the country. On Thursday, senior military officer Horta Inta-A was sworn in as Guinea-Bissau's transitional president for a one-year term. ■
