Guinea's ruling military junta named banker Kabine Komara as the country's prime minister on Tuesday, according to agencies' report.

The National Council for Democracy and Development (CNDD), which seized power last week after a coup, announced Komara's appointment in a statement.

The new nominee, a Guinean national, is a director of the Cairo- based African Export-Import Bank.

A military junta led by Moussa Camara seized power in Guinea following the death of President Lansana Conte. Camara has claimed himself the president of the Republic and his 32-member CNDD has become the de facto ruling body of the country.

The nomination was the latest step in a series by the CNDD to consolidate power since the Dec. 23 coup.

Camara had previously named Kelety Faro the "secretary general minister for the presidency of the Republic" and Mamadouba Toto Camara the "minister of security and civilian protection."

Meanwhile, the country's 20 or so army generals were demoted for allegiance to Conte. On the list of retirement were army chief of staff Diarra Camara and the heads of the army, navy and airforce.

Among other bold steps taken by the week-long CNDD were a " grandiose funeral" for Conte, a dusk-to-morning curfew, a political consultation at the Alpha Yaya Diallo barracks and the suspension of all mining contracts for renegotiation.

According to reports from Conakry, the capital of Guinea, the CNDD also plans hold an international meeting this week to clarify its policy.

However, the military junta's rule is criticized internationally. After the coup, the African Union has suspended Guinea's membership to press for the return to constitutional order, while the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) has voiced zero tolerance for the coup in Guinea. But the ECOWAS also said it "remains engaged with" the CNDD to " bring about short transition" without "military face."

It said the ECOWAS delegation in Guinea found that the country was calm, recommending continued peace and security "so that the people of Guinea do not suffer" from violence, killing and harassment.

The CNDD, with 26 military and six civilian members, has pledged to organize "credible and transparent elections by the end of December 2010."

This pledge hasn't met the requirements of those countries or international groups which were opposed to the coup. The European Union has demanded that a "democratic and transparent election" in the "first quarter of 2009," while the United States has threatened to withhold financial aid to Guinea unless the transitional period is shortened.

Guinea won independence from France in 1958. Rich in mineral resources such as bauxite, gold and iron ore, the world's top bauxite exporter and the second biggest producer attracts billions of dollars in mining investments from foreign firms, including Rio Tinto Alcan, Alcoa and Russia's United Company Rusal.

The country of 9. 56 million, however, was placed the 160th of 177 countries in the development survey by the United Nations.

(Xinhua News Agency December 30, 2008)