U.N. regrets coup in Mauritania, wants order restored

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called for the immediate restoration of order in Mauritania, where soldiers overthrew the northwest African Islamic state's elected president.

"The secretary-general calls for respect for the rule of law and the immediate restoration of constitutional order in the country," a U.N. spokeswoman told reporters. She added that Ban regretted the coup.

Mauritanian soldiers earlier overthrew President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, the country's first democratically elected president, and announced the formation of a military junta.

Mauritania is one of Africa's newest oil producers which also mines iron, copper and gold.

(Reporting by Megan Davies; Editing by Sandra Maler)