BEIJING, Aug. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- The world community on Wednesday strongly condemned a coup that ousted the regime of the oil-rich northwest African country of Mauritania earlier in the day.

    UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he is deeply troubled by reports of the forceful overthrow of the government of President Maaouyia Ould Taya.

    "The Secretary-General condemns any attempt to change the government of any country unconstitutionally, and stresses that political disagreements should be settled peacefully through the democratic process," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Wednesday.

    The African Union (AU) also voiced its objection to "any unconstitutional change of government."

    In a statement issued from the AU headquarters, AU Commission Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare firmly condemned any seizure or anyattempt to seize power by force.

    He reaffirmed the pan-African body's staunch commitment to "therespect of constitutional order."

    The United States joined the AU in condemning the violence in Mauritania while urging President Ould Taya, a US ally, to be restored to power.

    "We call for a peaceful return to order under the constitution and the established government of President Taya," acting State Department spokesman Tom Casey said at a news briefing.

    President of Cote d'Ivoire Laurent Gbagbo on Wednesday appealedto Mauritanians to keep calm and vigilant, and to defend peace while calling for the "immediate return to constitutional order."

    Other Western countries also joined the chorus of denouncements.

    France called for democracy and the "legal institutional framework" to be respected, while Britain, as current holder of the European Union (EU) presidency, called "upon all sides to ensure full respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law."

    Spain and the EU's executive commission in Brussels also condemned the move.

    The Mauritania coup began early Wednesday with brief bursts of heavy weapons and machine-gun fire in the capital Nouakchott.

    Rebellious troops, including members of the presidential guard,seized control of the armed forces headquarters and state radio and television buildings at dawn, surrounding ministries and the presidential palace while President Ould Taya was abroad.

    Later Wednesday, the coup leaders established a Military Council for Justice and Democracy and announced that their new head was national security chief Ely Ould Mohammed Vall.

    Deposed leader Ould Taya had been in Saudi Arabia attending thefuneral of King Fahd and was prevented from returning home when the military closed down the Nouakchott airport.

    Ould Taya, a former army chief of staff who had ruled Mauritania since staging a bloodless coup in 1984, landed in Nigerwhere he was received by Nigerien government officials.

    During his 21-year reign, he had foiled many coup attempts and cracked down ruthlessly against opponents. Enditem