U.N. Security Council Condemns Guinea Bissau Coup

The U.N. Security Council on Friday condemned a coup d'etat in Guinea-Bissau and said the civilian government must be returned to power.

Security Council members "strongly condemn the forcible seizure of power from the legitimate government of Guinea-Bissau by some elements of its armed forces," said the council statement.

The council demanded the release of interim president Raimundo Pereira, Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior and all senior officials currently detained by the military mutineers.

Council members "firmly denounce this incursion by the military into politics," said the statement released by U.S. ambassador Susan Rice, acting as council president for April.

"Members of the Security Council urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint, refrain from violence and remain calm," added the statement which highlighted that the coup just ahead of the launch of the campaign for the presidential election runoff vote.

"The members of the Security Council demand the immediate restoration of constitutional order and the legitimate government to allow for the completion of the on-going electoral process including the legislative elections."

The council backed efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), the African Union (AU) and by Angola to ease tensions Guinea-Bissau.

Rice told reporters that events in Guinea-Bissau were "evolving rapidly and that it is not easy to confirm information at this time."

She noted that the fate of Gomes -- the favorite in a second-round run-off ballot set for April 29 -- and Pereira was unclear since their arrest. "Their whereabouts cannot be confirmed at this time," she said.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner also condemned the coup and said the United States was "deeply concerned" about the safety of the people in the capital Bissau.

"We urge all parties to put down their weapons, release government leaders immediately and restore legitimate civilian leadership," Toner told reporters.