U.N. seeks calm transfer in Guinea-Bissau

Arrangements for replacing the president of Guinea-Bissau must follow the guidelines outlined by the country's constitution, the U.N. secretary-general said. President Malam Bacai Sanha died in a Paris hospital where he was receiving medical treatment for an unspecified illness since November. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a statement issued through his spokesman's office, expressed his "deep sadness" over the death of the 64-year-old Sanha but urged the country to honor the rule of law. "The secretary-general trusts that the succession arrangements provided for in the constitution of Guinea-Bissau will be fully respected," the statement read. The constitution mandates Raimundo Pereira, the speaker of Parliament, be sworn in as president. In late December, the top navy commander in the West African country, Rear Adm. Bubo Na Tchuto, was detained following what some authorities said was a coup attempt. The U.N. mission there said military officers attacked an army headquarters in an effort to steal weapons. Vladimir Monteiro, a spokesman for the U.N. peace-building officer in Guinea-Bissau, said his office met with authorities to get an explanation about the events. The situation, however, had returned to normal following a series of arrests last month. The previous president in Guinea-Bissau was assassinated by soldiers in 2009.