WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Wednesday reiterated its call that Togo's military-installed President Faure Gnassingbe should step aside immediately.

    State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told a news briefing that national reconciliation in Togo depended on "free, transparent and fully participatory elections that, in fact, are organized by a neutral authority."

    Faure Gnassingbe, 39, took over power on Feb. 7 shortly after the death of his father Gnassingbe Eyadema despite a constitutional provision stating that power ought to pass to the speaker of the National Assembly.

    "We have called on him (Gnassingbe) to step down and step down immediately. We think that is an essential element of moving forward," Boucher said.

    "Whether the announced elections in 60 days meet that standard is something we'll have to follow very closely," he said.

    Gnassingbe announced last Friday that his country would hold presidential elections in 60 days. He insisted that he was ruling in line with the constitution and indicated he had no intention tostep down before the vote.

    Washington said Saturday it did not recognize Gnassingbe's legitimacy and supported the sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

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