DAKAR, Aug. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Mauritanian coup leader Ely Ould Mohammed Vall on Tuesday pledged to organize presidential elections soon, reaffirming that no member of his military junta will be eligible to stand in the vote.

    The new military strongman made these commitments while receiving a delegation from the African Union (AU) at the presidential palace in Mauritania's capital of Nouakchott, said reports reaching here.

    Vall said the Aug. 3 coup that ousted President Maaouyia Ould Taya was aimed at saving Mauritania from crisis and restoring constitutional order to the nation, adding his military regime hasno intention of staying in power.

    Vall, the former national security chief, said the transitionalperiod may be shortened from two years to a few months if everything goes smoothly.

    He hoped his country would soon implement democratic rule.

    The visiting AU delegation is comprised of ministers from Nigeria, South Africa, Gabon and Algeria.

    During the two-hour meeting, the envoys conveyed to Mauritania's new ruler the position of the AU on the recent military coup.

    The 53-nation AU has expressed its opposition to the ouster andsuspended Mauritania's membership in the organization. However, itis not calling for the reinstatement of exiled President Taya.

    Vall's 17-man military junta, comprised of elite members of Mauritania's army, overthrew Taya's regime on Aug. 3, while Taya was abroad attending the funeral of the late Saudi King Fahd.

    The coup leaders then established a Military Council for Justice and Democracy and named a transitional prime minister on Sunday.

    Taya traveled from Niger, where he had been since the ouster, to Gambia on Tuesday. He was believed to be heading to a tourist resort just outside the Gambian capital Banjul.

    Taya, now in his 60s, held power in Mauritania since staging a coup of his own in 1984. His 21-year iron fist rule made him widely unpopular among his people. Enditem