France urges legislative polls to stabilise Guinea

France called for Guinea to hold legislative elections to help stabilise it, in the wake of a deadly attack against the residence of President Alpha Conde. "It is important that democracy in Guinea now be consolidated, through calm and respectful political dialogue of all concerned and by holding legislative elections soon," said French foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero. Conde, who came to power in a presidential election in November, survived a rocket attack on his residence on Tuesday that officials said left a member of his presidential guard dead. "Guinea must continue on the peaceful and democratic course it chose in the last presidential elections," Valero told reporters earlier Tuesday, condemning the attack. "Guineans have suffered too much from violence, which has no place in the democratic future that the country is building."