Mauritanian Junta Says Election To Be Held June 6

Mauritania will hold a presidential election on June 6, the first since a military coup last year, the ruling junta said on Friday.

Political leaders in the west Saharan Islamic state, a major iron ore miner and a small oil producer, said earlier this month the poll would take place on May 30 with a second round run-off on June 13 if needed. But this was pushed back by a week.

Junta chief General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz "instructed the government to take all necessary measures to prepare the best possible conditions for presidential elections on June 6 2009," the ruling High State Council said in a statement.

Members of the armed forces must give up their positions in order to stand in the vote, which Abdel Aziz had promised since seizing power in a bloodless coup on Aug. 6.

The European Union and United States have demanded that Abdel Aziz reinstate ousted President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, who was released from house arrest last month as part of negotiations to avoid sanctions.

The EU has threatened individually targeted sanctions against Abdel Aziz and members of his military administration if they did not restore constitutional rule.

Abdallahi, Mauritania's first freely elected head of state, was overthrown by Abdel Aziz and other senior military officers after serving for less than two years.

Coup leaders say Abdallahi had been too tolerant of corruption and had governed ineptly. They also accused him of failing to confront the threat of al Qaeda militants.

In September, 12 Mauritanian soldiers were decapitated in an attack claimed by al Qaeda, the second fatal assault by the group on the army in a year.

Abdallahi had intended to deliver a speech to supporters in the capital Nouakchott this week, but his convoy of vehicles was turned away by police outside the city and he returned to Lemden, his home town.