Mauritania to hold presidential election in June

Dakar (Senegal), Jan 24 (Xinhua) Mauritania will hold its presidential election on June 6, the Mauritanian News Agency quoted a government statement as saying.

General Mohamed Ould Abdela Aziz, president of the Mauritanian State Council, has asked the government to gear up for the election, according to reports reaching here from the country's capital of Nouakchott.

President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, who was overthrown by his former presidential guard General Aziz in a bloodless coup in August, has said he could accept in principle early presidential and parliamentary elections but insisted that the military junta must stand down.

There is speculation in political circles that Aziz may join the presidential race as he has said that a soldier out of uniform should be allowed to run for the presidency.

Abdallahi was kept under house arrest after the coup. Under international pressure, the military junta transferred him from the place of detention in Nouakchott to his home town in November.

He was released on Dec 21 but still remains under the close watch of the military junta.