Military coup in Mauritania

[hmm]

Mauritania officers 'seize power<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4741243.stm">news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4741243.stm</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>"Mauritanian army officers have announced the overthrow of the president and creation of a ruling military council.<br><br>The military council said it had ended the "totalitarian regime" of President Maaouiya Ould Sid Ahmed Taya who has arrived in Niger.<br><br>Hundreds took to the streets of the capital, Nouakchott, to celebrate as troops controlled key points.<br><br>But the action has been condemned by African and international bodies.<br><br>The African Union said it "strongly condemns any seizure of power or any attempt to take power by force".<br>~snip~<br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>The new Military Council for Justice and Democracy said it would rule the West African state for a transitional period of two years</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->, after which it would organise free and fair elections."<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1541889,00.html?gusrc=rss">www.guardian.co.uk/intern...?gusrc=rss</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>"Mr Taya himself seized power in a coup in 1984. He has angered many Arabs in the country by shifting support from Saddam Hussein to favour Israel and Washington in the 1990s.<br><br>Mauritania - <!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>which hopes to start pumping oil early next year</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> - is one of only three Arab League member states that have established diplomatic ties with Israel.<br><br>Mr Taya, who attended the funeral of Saudi Arabia's King Fahd in Riyadh on Tuesday, arrived in Niamey, the capital of Niger, hours after news of the troop movements in Nouakchott emerged."<br><br>so are they going to quickly renegociate the oil contracts and run or are they a new hope for these poor people? <p></p><i></i>