The army in the Comoro Islands on Tuesday urged political parties to hold a "frank and constructive dialogue" to keep the peace when President Ahmed Abdallah Sambi's mandate expires on May 26.

Sambi had been due to step down then, but instead the parliament has decided to hold both presidential elections and elections for the governors of the three islands — Grande Comore, Anjouan and Moheli — on November 27, 2011.

This decision has particularly upset residents of Moheli, which was due to take the rotating presidency of the highly coup-prone Indian Ocean archipelago after Sambi, who comes from Anjouan, quits.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the general staff "encouraged" political leaders to hold "a frank and constructive dialogue, with a view to keeping the peace, security and national integrity."

The Constitutional Court had found on Saturday that Sambi's mandate expires on May 26 and ruled that the president should remain in office for an "interim period," with limited powers under a political consensus.

The army announced that it was aware of the court's decision, urged all parties "to embrace this consensual approach" and called on Comorans "to show responsibility and solidarity in difficult times."

The military will "tolerate no threats, insult, provocation or attack, of whatever kind it may be" and it "solemnly and firmly commits itself to ensure the security of people and goods," the statement said.

Talks on what will happen after May 26 are due to resume this week between the government, the opposition and executive authorities on the three islands in the federation.

The army has spoken out at a time of tension between the military and the federal authorities.

The chief of general staff, General Salimou Amiri, recently accused two of Sambi's close aides of plotting to eliminate him physically.

Such tensions were heightened by the arrival in mid-April of several dozen Libyan soldiers to join the presidential guard, whom officials describe as "instructors" while the opposition calls them "mercenaries".

At the end of April, Sambi reminded the army of its duties and warned that soldiers should steer clear of politics and not "follow those who want to sow havoc in the country."

Though a small nation with few resources, the Union of the Comoros has known 19 successful or foiled coup bids since independence from France in 1975.

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