Brussels, Feb 19, 2010, SPA -- The European Union deplores the putsch that ledto the imprisonment of Niger's president Mamadou Tandja, dpa quoted a spokesmanfor the bloc's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton as saying today. Lutz Guellner stated that Ashton "condemns the seizure of thepower by a military coup d'etat in Niger and calls upon all actorsinvolved to engage immediately in a democratic process allowing forrapid establishment of the constitutional order in the country." He added that the EU's high representative was following thecrisis "closely" and shared the "deep concern" expressed over theevents by the African Union (AU) and by the Economic Community OfWest African States (ECOWAS).--SPA 18:49 LOCAL TIME 15:49 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/749864