Central African Republic council to pick interim president

Central African Republic's self-appointed leader says he's created a new council that now will choose a president to lead the country until elections can be held, ABC news network reported. Michel Djotodia, whose fighters moved into the capital on March 23 and eventually overthrew the president of a decade, issued the order on Saturday. Under the arrangement, the interim president will serve until elections can be held. Djotodia says a vote will take place within 18 months after initially saying he would hold power until 2016. The shortened timeframe follows pressure from regional neighbors, who held a summit in Chad several days ago on the political crisis. Djotodia's advisers have said he is not excluded from being considered for the interim presidential position. Former President Francois Bozize fled to neighboring Cameroon after being overthrown.