Guinea's Acting Leader Calls for Military Discipline

Guinea's acting leader Thursday called for discipline in the army after the country's military leader was shot by members of the presidential guard last week. The military government said that it will not take part in regional mediation efforts until the injured leader returns to power.

Defense Minister Sekouba Konate has taken charge of Guinea, following last week's attack against military leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara.

While inspecting hundreds of troops at Conakry's Almany Samory Toure base, Konate called for discipline.

Konate said the military should be reassuring the Guinean people. He called on troops to fight against bad elements in its ranks, saying the army cannot accept the rights of civilians to be trampled.

Konate said that last week's attack on Captain Camara was a disgrace for the nation and for the army. The captain was shot in the head by members of the presidential guard and is now recovering in a military hospital in Morocco.

Guinea's ruling military council says it is suspending its participation in regional mediation efforts until Captain Camara returns.

The Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, is proposing a power-sharing arrangement to resolve Guinea's political crisis.

Opposition politician Bah Oury says quitting those talks shows the military's disregard for ECOWAS, the African Union and the International Contact Group on Guinea.

Oury says the military's decision to suspend talks in Ouagadougou represents its rupture with the international community and the Guinean people because the process was meant to remove the military government from power. Oury says the suspension of those talks puts Guinea in an extremely serious situation as it tries to find a way out of the crisis.

ECOWAS says Guinea's military is responsible for the country's worsening security situation. It says says lack of discipline and infighting in the army are holding back efforts to establish the rule of law.

The regional alliance wants Guinea's military government to immediately put in place a new transitional authority, leading to credible elections early next year that do not include members of the ruling council or its prime minister.