The African Union (AU) on Tuesday urged the authorities of Guinea-Bissau to launch a full investigation into the assassination of President Joao Bernardo Vieira and his chief of general staff, Batista Tagme Na Waie.

The AU Peace and Security Council "calls on the national authorities of Guinea-Bissau, in cooperation with the AU, ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) and other African institutions, to launch a full investigation into the president and the army chief of staff of Guinea-Bissau, in order to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice," said a communique issued after the 174th meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council.

It took note of the statements by the armed forces of Guinea-Bissau of their intention "to uphold the provisions of the constitution of the country relating to the succession to the presidency," said the communique.

The council convened on Tuesday to coordinate measures in the aftermath of the assassination of Guinea-Bissau's top leaders. The AU's statutes stipulated that member states should be suspended in the event of unconstitutional changes of government.

However, during the talks, the pan-African body didn't decide to suspend Guinea-Bissau's membership, as were Mauritania and Guinea following coups last year.

The council requested the AU Commission, the executive arm of the pan-African body, "to submit to the council, within 30 days, a report on the situation in Guinea-Bissau, with recommendations for concrete action to be taken," said the communique.

It reaffirmed its total rejection of unconstitutional changes of government. On Tuesday, Guinea-Bissau's parliamentary speaker Raimundo Pereira took oath as the country's interim president following the death of President Vieira.

Vieira was killed by soldiers early Monday after a bomb attack in which the country's military chief was killed.

An unknown number of soldiers apparently launched a retaliatory attack after the armed forces chief of staff, Batista Tagme Na Wai, was killed in an explosion that destroyed part of the military headquarters.

Na Wai, a critic of President Vieira's policy, including some of his appointments, had served in a military junta that toppled Vierira in the 1998-1999 civil war after his rule of 19 years. Vierira returned to power in the 2005 presidential election.

Source:Xinhua