The military junta that seized power in Guinea-Bissau last week has proposed a two-year timeframe for organising new elections, prompting crticism from neighbouring West African states calling for the immediate return of constitutional rule.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) "strongly condemns this illegal initiative," a statement said following the announcement that a failed presidential candidate was chosen to lead the two-year transition.
The opposition and military rulers appointed former parliamentary speaker and independent presidential candidate Manuel Serifo Nhamadjo to lead the interim government, in an accord signed late on Wednesday, without the participation of the country's ruling party.
"This [accord] will allow us to peacefully organise voter registration in a biometric format, and to hold legislative and presidential elections simultaneously," said Artur Sanha, a spokesman for the political parties.
On Thursday, the junta also ordered the re-opening of the country's borders, as well as its international airport and sea port, which were closed following a coup on April 12.
Thursday's statement by ECOWAS said: "[The] Commission has learnt with surprise the announced establishment of a so-called 'Transitional National Council' by the Military Command Junta and 24 political parties in Guinea-Bissau to govern the country for a two-year period."
"The Commission strongly condemns this illegal initiative, particularly after the Junta had given a written undertaking, following its meeting with a high-level ECOWAS Delegation in Bissau on 16 April 2012, to step aside to pave the way for the immediate return to constitutional normality with the facilitation of ECOWAS."
A very high-ranking west African delegation made up of ministers and chiefs of staff had visited the capital Bissau on Monday to meet those responsible for the coup.
"The Commission wishes to reiterate its rejection of the usurpation of power by the Military Command, and to make it known that it will never recognise any transitional arrangement emanating from the Junta," the statement said.
ECOWAS was to hold an emergency summit next week to discuss the situation in Guinea-Bissau, it added, while the African Union has suspended Guinea-Bissau following the coup.
Peacekeeping force
The World Bank and the African Development Bank have suspended millions of dollars of aid to Guinea-Bissau, raising pressure on the coup leaders to hand back power to civilians.
Elsewhere on Thursday, Portuguese-speaking nations called on the UN Security Council to back an international peacekeeping force for the country.
The UN should support a peacekeeping force and step up sanctions against the coup leaders, Angola's Foreign Minister Georges Chikoti, speaking for the Community of Portuguese Speaking Nations, told the Security Council.
"Time is of the essence we cannot afford to wait and let the people, who are at the mercy of military power, suffer," Chikoti told a council meeting on Guinea-Bissau.
The Portuguese-speaking group of nations and ECOWAS are already discussing the makeup of a force, diplomats said.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Thursday it has brought medical supplies to Guinea-Bissau's diabetic former Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior twice since he was detained in last week's military coup.
Gomes Junior had been widely expected to win a presidential election runoff that had been scheduled for April 29 until it was pre-empted by the coup.
He is being held alongside Interim President Raimundo Pereira by the ruling junta.
Since gaining independence in 1974, Guinea-Bissau's army and state have remained in constant conflict, and no president has completed a full term in office. Three have been overthrown and one assassinated.
Al Jazeera