Guinea's new military junta is to hold talks with foreign envoys shortly to explain their take-over and "reassure the international community".

Coup leaders have promised to stamp out corruption and hold elections in 2010.

The coup, led by a junior army officer, followed the death of veteran strongman President Lansana Conte on Monday.

The move has been condemned internationally, however Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade has urged the world community to recognise the junta.
The coup leaders say they want to explain their actions to representatives from the UN, G8, European Union and African Union, and outline their future plans.

The meeting is expected to begin in Guinea's capital Conakry at 1200 GMT.

The rebels say separate talks with leaders of Guinea's political parties and civil society groups will also be held in Conakry on Saturday.

The US embassy in Conakry has called for an immediate return to civilian rule in Guinea, while France, which currently holds the EU presidency, also said a vote should be held soon.

South Africa's President Kgalema Motlanthe has said the junta must step down and hold elections immediately.

But despite condemnation from the international community, the coup appears to have been welcomed by many within the country.

Sick and tired of despotic rule under the former president and his hugely corrupt government, Guineans are pinning their hopes on the military, the BBC's West Africa correspondent Will Ross says.

Support needed

President Wade is the first head of state to publicly back the coup.

He urged Guinea's neighbours not to interfere in the country's internal affairs "whether militarily, through mercenaries or with money".

In an earlier interview on French radio, President Wade said: "My feeling is that this group of military men deserves support. We should not throw stones at them."

He said he had had a telephone conversation with the new leader, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, describing him as a "perfectly honest" man.

And despite the junta's earlier statements that new elections in Guinea would be held in December 2010, Mr Wade said Capt Camara "spoke of eight months".

Capt Camara says he has no intention of standing in the elections and that he wants to restore order to the country and rid it of corruption.

On Friday, tens of thousands of Guineans and presidents from the neighbouring states of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast attended the funeral of President Conte in Conakry.

Mr Conte, who died aged 74, was later buried in front of his mansion in the village of Lansanaya, some 120km (75 miles) north-west of the capital.


Source: BBC