Former Madagascan president Marc Ravalomanana on Saturday called on the armed force in the country to obey his order, stressing that those who refuse to follow his order would be punished.

The call came two day after the conclusion of a military conference, which decided to set up a high military authority to manage the armed forces and reconciliation among the military troops.

Ravalomanana also urged the armed forces to reinforce anti-government demonstration held by his supporters.

In a telephone call to his supporters from South Africa, Ravalomanana threatened to send "foreign peacekeeping forces" to the Indian Ocean island country.

According to a local website " topmada.com", Ravalomanana warned the Madagascan armed forces not to be manipulated by the transitional authority led by his political rival Andry Rajoelina, the former mayor of the capital city.

Vowing to come back home soon, Ravalomanana warned that those who refuse to obey his order would be punished.

Ravalomanana has been living in exile since March 25 this year, four days after Rajoelina, 34, replaced him as president of the country.

It was the second threat made by Ravalomanana to bring foreign peacekeepers to his country since Wednesday, when the two-day military conference was opened.

"You, soldiers, gendarmes and police, your duties are to protect the people, their property and the constitution," he told the armed forces through telephone, urging them not to be "instrument of a minority", who only defended their interests."

"I am the elected president of the Madagascan Republic, and the international community promised me to restore constitutional order in the country," Ravalomanana said.

At the end of the military conference on Thursday, Vice President of the High Transitional Authority Alain Ramaroson warned Ravalomanana not to call foreign troops to Madagascar, noting that "in cases of invasion or attempted return (of Ravalomanana) with foreign forces, Ravalomanana will know who I am."

Prime minister under the transitional government Monja Roindefo also said on Friday that introduction of foreign forces to Madagascan territory was an act of treason.

Roindefo said that bringing foreign peacekeepers to the country was a crime that should be dealt with death penalty.

Rajoelina has refused to sign a transitional charter prepared by the international contact group and been against the return of his predecessor Marc Ravalomanana from exile.

"The High Transitional Authority doesn't want return of the former president to the country," Rajoelina told French Ambassador to Madagascar Jean Marc Chataigner and secretary general of the Indian Ocean Commission Callixte d'Offaye here on Wednesday evening before leaving for Dakar, Senegal for a visit.

Rajoelina told the media at the airport that his transitional authority wanted to fulfill its duty of development, like building hospitals, reducing poverty and restoring security.

However, He claimed that Ravalomanana, his supporters and others wanted to make trouble, making the transitional government unable to fulfill its duty.

On Wednesday, Representatives of former presidents Ravalomanana and Didier Ratsiraka boycotted negotiations sponsored by the international contact group.

The international contact group, consisted of international mediators from the African Union and the international organization of French-speaking countries, has been trying to convince Madagascan politicians to compromise on a draft agreement it prepared weeks ago.

International mediators suggested that the current transitional leader Rajoelina and four predecessors should not be candidates for next presidential election.

The Madagascan High Transitional Authority (HTA) proposed hereon Friday a new transitional charter to counter against the one issued by the international mediators.

According to the charter published by a local website, topmada.com, HTA president Andry Rajoelina should remain as president of the country while Monja Roindefo would keep his position as prime minister under the transitional authority.

The number of ministers would be increased from the present 22to 29 and the 7 would be shared between the camps of former presidents Marc Ravalomanana, Didier Ratsiraka and Zafy Albert.

The National Assembly, lower house of the parliament, would be replaced by a Transitional congress, composed of 128 representatives from the HTA, 30 from each camp of three former presidents and seven from civil societies.

The upper house of the parliament, the Senate, would be made up of 54 members, including 44 from HTA and 10 others from former senators.

Source:Xinhua