Abdel Aziz 'supporting Mali rebels'

The head of the opposition "Ethad Kowa al-Takadom" (Union of Forces for Progress), Mohamed Ould Mouloud has called for the ouster of Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz's regime. Mouloud blamed President Aziz for supporting rebels in northern Mali, saying he was responsible for the displacement of Azawadi inhabitants in the region, "causing crisis in Mauritania". Mouloid said the dealy in parliamentary and municipal elections by the regime was as sign of the spiralling crisis. "Democratic opponents have been excluded from the decision-making process, closing the door to any solution for the problem in a peaceful way," he said. Mouloud, speaking Tuesday night at a press conference in the capital Nouakchott, said: "It is important to overthrow Abdel Aziz's tyrannical regime in Mauritania, who already destroyed bridges of trust between Mauritanians and Mali. The Mauritanian regime has played a suspect role in the Malian crisis which directly threatened national security due to the common borders between both countries". Mouloud, who is seen as close to French President Francois Hollande, said: "The reason behind President Abdel Aziz's interference in the Mali crisis is related to the era of former French president Nicolas Sarkozy. This may result in war and uncertain consequences for the Mauritanian military where the regime is trying to throw it in a battle whose future is unknown." President Abdel Aziz said earlier in August that he ruled out sending troops to Mali, where the embattled government has lost control of the north to Al-Qaeda-linked militias. "There will be no Mauritanian military intervention in Mali," he said. "The problem there is very complex and we don't have the solution," he said, adding however that his country, which borders Mali, would take part in the international community's efforts to restore peace. The entire northern half of Mali has been occupied since late March by rebels with links to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which has also carried out attacks in Mauritania. Abdel Aziz warned against "the terrorist risk which will grow and can be a catastrophe for the entire world." He said the first step will be for Mali to have a strong and representative government in Bamako. The embattled west African nation is currently under the stewardship of a transition government which took over from a military junta that ousted the previous regime on March 22. Opposition leader Mouloud also announced that his party will oppose against any parliamentary or municipal election held by the recent regime, demanding political parties and civil society groups consult the problem "which can exclude Ould Abdel Aziz from the political arena, establishing a new united national government qualified to organise legislative elections". "Mauritanians are facing a sharp living crisis which killed from 30 to 70 percent of Mauritania's animal wealth. We didn’t foresee its effect on Mauritanian society, as autumn approaches while people have lost their cattle due to drought spreading in the country," he said. "There is an institutional gap in the country as it maintains non-legislative institutions, while there is a crisis between parties which hasn’t been solved yet, that threatens the unity and cohesion of the country." The opposition leader said the country need a "consistent democratic power". "Opposition members are considered the safety valve in playing an important role in directing the situation and preventing chaos created by the Abdel Aziz regime through his disorganised policy. The opposition is struggling to build a self-reconciled Mauritania,"  he finished.