Ousted Mauritanian leader's daughter appeals to U.N.

LONDON (Reuters) - The daughter of Mauritania's ousted president, in a message sent from house arrest, appealed to the United Nations on Thursday to open talks to restore the country's elected government.

Soldiers ousted President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi on Wednesday after he tried to dismiss military chiefs widely suspected of supporting the president's opponents in a political crisis in Africa's newest oil producer.

"On behalf of my imprisoned father ... I wish to send a heartfelt and urgent plea to the United Nations and the international community to open a constructive dialogue to restore the country's rightfully elected government and institutions at the earliest opportunity," Abdallahi's daughter said in a statement released through a British spokesman.

"My family and I are currently under house arrest and our communications with the outside world are restricted. Please help us return democracy to the people of Mauritania," Amal Mint Cheikh Abdallahi said.

The spokesman said Abdallahi and his daughter were being held separately under house arrest. He had no information about the ousted president.

Coup leaders promised on Thursday to hold a "free and transparent" presidential election as soon as possible, defying foreign calls to reinstate the country's first freely elected president.

(Reporting by Adrian Croft; Editing by Matthew Tostevin)