UN ready to take measures to overcome Guinea-Bissau crisis

The UN Security Council said Friday it was ready to take "necessary measures" to overcome the crisis in Guinea-Bissau after the president sacked the government and demanded that the ruling party choose a new cabinet.

The 15-member council said in a unanimous statement that the military must not intervene and called for dialogue.

President Jose Mario Vaz sacked his entire government on Thursday and said he was asking the ruling party to piece together a government able to pull the country out of crisis.

The council expressed "its readiness to take necessary measures to overcome the current situation," said Egyptian Ambassador Amr Aboulatta, the council's president this month.

Council members "reaffirm the importance of the continued non-interference of the defense and security forces in the political situation," said Aboulatta.

Guinea-Bissau has suffered multiple military coups since independence in 1974 and the army continues to play a heavy role in politics.

During a visit to the country in March, Security Council envoys underlined the need for its institutions to be allowed to function normally.